Scent versus stench

Awful pong in the greenhouse this morning announced the blooming of the stapelia. It looks and smells like dead meat to attract pollinating flies. The sweet scented flowers and aromatic foliage of the myrtle lightened the atmosphere somewhat.

 

Great pics H- that Stapelia looks frightening!!

I have a murtle in a pot - is it ok outside?

 

No Marge - don't think so. I have always understood myrtle to be tender.

 

I had one outside in Bucks for many years and it bloomed every year. It only died because I chopped it back, uprooted it and brought it here! :( Have another to replace it but I think this new one is a smaller species, the leaves are definitely smaller. I'll come back with a picture.

Here it is ...



[ 10. November 2006, 02:51 PM: Message edited by: Lady of Leisure ]

 

Just a digital compact camera - Nikon Coolpix

 

Better get it in then H - just in case cos its only small Thanks

 

My little black book says that there are 100 species of myrtle. Some are tender and some are half-hardy. It goes on to say that in Britain they need greenhouse cultivation but can survive in sheltered spots. In particular, Myrtus bullata from New Zealand, Myrtus communis (common myrtle) from the Mediterranean and Myrtus luma from China can survive outside in the south and west of Britain. LOL's myrtle in Bucks did ok too so who knows now that winters are milder? You might get away with it.

 

Hope you've got good ventilation in your greenhouse, HB! Looks fantastic, but I'm glad not to be able to see (smell) it in person..... :rolleyes:

Agree with all the others - fantastic photos!

 

I think mine was the M communis (the old common kind!) but I'm sure the one photographed above is not that. I got it from Ventnor Botanic Gardens, IoW, three years ago, and I think it just said Myrtus on it ... how remiss can one be, I ask! :rolleyes: ... and I didn't ask! :D :D

 

Never mind LOL - mine has just got Myrtle on the label and I bought it from a market stall. It smells just as sweet without a long Latin name

 

... is that like "a rose by any other name would smell as sweet" ??? :rolleyes:

 

That Stapelia is superb. Where would one find one of those?

 

I don't know where you could buy one, Rich. Mine came from a fragment that I got from a friend about 12years ago.

 

I have seen a Myrtle grown to a mind boggling 30ft or so in London. Spectacular, wonderful thing grown as a small tree! Communis type, probably a specific variety though I don't know what that might be.

I have sundry smallish bog standard Myrtus communis in some of my gardens and they seem resilient to the weather of the last few years, not that that's been bad. Last spring there was a cheeky -5C late on which killed outright a few 'hardy' plants and damaged lots of other stuff but not the young myrtles. Plant with confidence in the SE I would say.