Myrtle of the River
A state endangered rockland tree that maybe two nurseries in Florida grow
Calyptranthes zuzygium
Name note: recently moved into the genus Myrcia, so you may see it as Myrcia zuzygium. The state still lists it as Calyptranthes zuzygium, and that is how nurseries sell it.
Why it works here
This is a beautiful plant and it is the rarest thing on my hedge list. Thick dark green leaves with a raised midvein down the center, a layered branching pattern, and flowers that open in a way you have to see: there are no petals at all, and instead a little cap pops off the top of the bud and leaves a puff of white stamens behind. That cap is where the whole genus gets its name. Then the fruit turns red, then blue, then a waxy purple black, and the birds work it. Crush a leaf and it is strongly aromatic.
Now the honest part, and there is a lot of it. It is state listed endangered. It grows wild only in Miami-Dade and Monroe, so in Stuart it is well north of home. And the supply is genuinely thin: as far as I can tell there are about two nurseries in Florida growing it, both of them well south of us. That is not a plant you spec forty of for a hedge run. Where I use it is as the one special thing in a mixed hedge, or as a small specimen tree near a patio where somebody will actually look at it. If you want a solid privacy wall by itself, use spicewood or Simpson's stopper and let this one be the interesting neighbor.
Care
Alkaline, limestone or calcareous sandy soil with organic matter in the top layer, and mulch it. It wants steadier moisture than most of the coastal natives I use, so keep it on a low water zone rather than off irrigation entirely. It naturally throws a lot of stems, so if you want a single trunk you have to start pruning for that early. Otherwise let it be a multi stem shrub, which is what it wants.
Common problems
Lobate lac scale. This one is documented on this species by UF/IFAS, and a bad infestation causes branch dieback and can kill a plant. The tell is black sooty mold on the leaves. My approach is the same as always: build a garden with enough diversity that the beneficial insects are already living there, and prune out the worst wood. What I will not do is reach for a systemic neonicotinoid, because those move into the flowers and the bees pay for it.
Sourcing. Two nurseries in the state. Confirm stock before it goes on a plan.
Multi stemming. Not a defect, just a decision you have to make in year one.
Cold. The zone ratings disagree and nobody publishes a damage temperature. Warm protected spot.
Berry drop. The ripe fruit is nearly black and it will stain a light patio.
Common questions
How do I tell it apart from spicewood?
They are cousins and both have that cap on the flower bud. Spicewood has smaller, lighter green, glossy leaves with new growth that flushes pink to red, and the foliage smells spicy. Myrtle of the river has thicker, darker leaves with a raised midvein and it is a bigger plant, 15 to 20 feet against spicewood's 10 to 20 with a tighter build.
How do I tell it apart from the stoppers?
Watch the flower. The stoppers have real petals. This one has none, just that cap that falls off and a puff of stamens.
Should I use it as my whole hedge?
No, and I would talk you out of it. It is endangered, it is barely in the trade, and there is no real documentation that it takes shearing the way spicewood and the stoppers do. Use it as one plant in a mix and enjoy it.
It is endangered and hard to find. Is it worth the trouble?
Honestly, nothing special exactly. It is rarer than most things I plant, and that is interesting on its own, but the real reason to put one in is simpler: it is another fantastic bird and pollinator plant. If you can get one, great. If you cannot, spicewood will do the same work.
Interested in a myrtle of the river in your landscape?
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