Amomyrtus luma
Amomyrtus luma
Safety & Hazards
None known
Cultivation Details
Amomyrtus luma is not very winter hardy, tolerating winter frosts with temperatures that sometimes fall as low as -5°c. In its native range in Chile it experiences rain all year round and can be found at elevations from near sea level to around 2,000 metres[1]. It grows well in the mild maritime climate of southwest England and southern Ireland, where it fruits heavily in late summer and often self-sows freely[2, PFAF]. Succeeds in any reasonably good soil[3] including dry ones. Prefers a moderately fertile well-drained loam in a sunny position[4]. Dislikes cold drying winds but withstands considerable maritime exposure[5]. The leaves are strongly aromatic[2]. The flowers, which are sweetly scented[6], are susceptible to damage by late spring frosts[7]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[4].
Propagation
Pre-soak the seed for 24 hours in warm water and then sow it in late winter in a greenhouse. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts[PFAF]. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 7 - 10cm with a heel, mid summer in a frame. Pot up in the autumn and overwinter in a cold frame. Plant out in late spring. High percentage[8]. Cuttings of mature wood of the current seasons growth, 7 - 12cm with a heel, late autumn in a shaded and frost free frame. Plant out in late spring or early autumn. High percentage[8]. Layering. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Amomyrtus+luma>
Pollinators
Bees
References
- [1]ChileFlora — http://www.chileflora.com/index.html ↩︎Not realy a flora, but a lovely site with lots of helpful information for the gardener and an abundance of excellent photos covering over 2,000 species of Chilean plants.
- [2]The Myrtle Family (Myrtaceae) in Chile — Landrum L.R. · The California Academy of Sciences; San Francisco · 1988 · ISBN 0068-547X ↩︎An enumeration of the Myrtaceae in Chile, describing the plants and their habitats, often including their uses.
- [3]RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 — F. Chittendon. · Oxford University Press · 1951 · ISBN - ↩︎Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [ 200 ]).
- [4]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
- [5]Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. — Thomas. G. S. · Murray · 1992 · ISBN 0-7195-5043-2 ↩︎Contains a wide range of plants with a brief description, mainly of their ornamental value but also usually of cultivation details and varieties.
- [6]Scented Flora of the World. — Genders. R. · Robert Hale. London. · 1994 · ISBN 0-7090-5440-8 ↩︎An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.
- [7]Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. — Bean. W. · Murray · 1981 · ISBN - ↩︎A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
- [8]Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. — Sheat. W. G. · MacMillan and Co · 1948 · ISBN - ↩︎A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.
- [9]The Milder Garden. — Taylor. J. · Dent · 1990 ↩︎A good book on plants that you didn't know could be grown outdoors in Britain.
- [10]Mapuche Herbal Medicine Inhibits Blood Platelet Aggregation — Susan Skanderup Falkenberg et al · Hindawi Publishing Corporation · 2012 ↩︎A research paper, it includes information on the herbal uses of 12 plants
- [PFAF]Plants for a Future — pfaf.org ↩︎