Rose Myrtle

Other common names: Kemunting, 桃金娘

Rose myrtles are a hardy free-flowering shrub that is commonly seen in rewilding areas, nature parks, in roadside gardens, and biodiversity-attracting gardens. The flowers are highly attractive to bees, while the fruits attract birds and small mammals. The fruits can also be made into jam. This plant is native to Singapore and is naturally found growing along river banks and secondary forests.

A perennial shrub, rose myrtles are useful as biodiversity-attracting plants and perimeter plants to add a pop of colour to any garden.

Sun and soil needs:

This plant thrives in more than 4 hours of direct sunlight. Plants do best in pots with loamy soil at least 30cm deep, or in true ground. These plants are vulnerable to root rot, so ensure that your pots drain well, and that your soil has plenty of organic matter to let the roots breathe. This plant is also highly drought tolerant, making it suitable for exposed gardens like on rooftops.

Growing:

Rose myrtles are rapid growers and generally does not need fertilizing. The shrub can rapidly grow up to 3m in height and will need to be pruned regularly. Regular pruning to promote airflow will keep the plant healthy and neat.

Propagation:

Rose myrtles can be grown from seed harvested from ripe fruits.

Common problems & solutions:

This plant is relatively resistant to pests and disease if kept healthy.

This plant may sometimes have round holes in its leaves made by bagworm caterpillars. Remove the caterpillars by hand to reduce damage.

If the plant does not receive enough light, it will stop producing flowers. Prune surrounding plants or move the plant to a sunnier spot to promote flower growth.

If your plant has few to no flowers, you can fertilise the plant with fertilisers high in phosphorus and potassium.