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Polygala myrtifolia
Also called Butterfly Bush, Parrotbush
Myrtle-leaf milkwort (Polygala myrtifolia) is an evergreen South African shrub or small tree, 2 to 4 m tall, grown for its mauve, pink, crimson or white sweetpea-like flowers. It is fast-growing and tolerant of coastal conditions, so give it full sun and free-draining soil.
Polygala myrtifolia, the myrtle-leaf milkwort, is an evergreen 2–4 m tall South African shrub or small tree found along the southern and south-eastern coasts, from near Clanwilliam in the Western Cape to KwaZulu-Natal. It is a fast-growing pioneer plant, a typical fynbos component, and may be found on dunes, rocky places, along forest margins, beside streams, and in open grassland. It belongs to the milkwort family of Polygalaceae.
The thin, oval, mucronate leaves, 25–50 mm long and up to 13 mm wide, are arranged alternately and have entire margins – some forms of P. myrtifolia have thin, needle-like leaves. The attractive mauve sweetpea-like flowers, which close at night, may also be pink, crimson or white, and have a characteristic brush-like tuft protruding from the keel. For pollination an intricate piston mechanism is used.
The species is noted for its antibacterial and antifungal properties. Research conducted by the University of KwaZulu Natal found that aqueous extracts of P. myrtifolia proved effective against Candida albicans.
Senega africana · Polygala alpestris · Bitter milkwort · Dwarf Milkwort · Senega ambigua · Polygala angolensis · Senega balduini · Polygala baumii · Polygala bifoliata · Senega boykinii · Chalk milkwort · Senega chapmanii
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Polygala myrtifolia by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
