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Summary
Physical Characteristics
Rhodomyrtus tomentosa is an evergreen Shrub growing to 4 m (13ft) by 3 m (9ft) at a fast rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. The flowers are pollinated by Insects.
It is noted for attracting wildlife.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid and neutral soils and can grow in very acid and saline soils.
It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.
UK Hardiness Map
US Hardiness Map
Synonyms
Cynomyrtus tomentosa (Aiton) Scriv. Myrtus canescens Lour. Myrtus tomentosa Aiton. R. tomentosa var. tomentosa
Plant Habitats
Edible Uses
Edible Parts: Flowers Fruit Leaves
Edible Uses: Drink
Fruit - usually eaten raw, they are also made into pies, tarts, jellies or used in salads [301 ]. Fruit makes an excellent jam. The fully ripe fruit is sweet and much liked by children [303 ]. It is somewhat astringent before it is fully mature [303 ]. In Cambodia and Vietnam, fermented fruit makes an alcoholic wine-like drink called 'ruou sim (myrtle wine)'. In Vietnam, the fruits are freshly canned with syrup for export. The purple oblong fruit is up to 15mm long and 10mm wide[200 ].
References More on Edible Uses
Medicinal Uses
Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Antidiarrhoeal Antiseptic Dysentery
The fruit has been used as a cure for dysentery and diarrhoea [303]. A decoction of the roots or leaves is drunk as a treatment for diarrhoea and stomachache and a protective medicine after birth [303]. A decoction or the extracted juice of the buds and young leaves has a beneficial effect in treating colic, diarrhoea, dysentery, abscesses, furunculosis and haemorrhage [283]. A concentrated decoction of the leaves is used as an antiseptic wash for treating wounds, impetigo and abscesses [283]. The crushed leaves are used to dress wounds [303 ].
References More on Medicinal Uses
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Other Uses
Cosmetic Dye Fire retardant Pioneer
Within its native range, R. tomentosa is a quick-growing early successional species. It is fire-adapted and sprouts prolifically after a fire. It has shown promise as a fire retardant species for use in fire breaks in the Himalayas. The wood tar can serve as a black dye and has been used to blacken teeth and eyebrows [303]. R. tomentosa is cultivated both as an ornamental plant and for its edible berries. It is more commonly grown for its ornamental value and its beautiful flowers. In southern China, it has been tested in restoration to provide shade for slower-growing native plant species. Another frequently-cultivated species in the Myrtaceae family, Acca sellowiana, looks similar to R. tomentosa; however, unlike those of R. tomentosa, the leaves of A. sellowiana are whitish-hairy beneath, particularly when young, and are not 3-nerved from the base [1-8]. Suitability for pots. Attracts wildlife. The fruit is also used as a food source for animals and birds.
Special Uses
Attracts Wildlife Food Forest
References More on Other Uses
Cultivation details
Rhodomyrtus tomentosa can succeed in tropical and subtropical climates at elevations up to 2,440 metres [303 ]. The plant requires an annual rainfall that exceeds 1,200mm [303 ]. Soil drainage: free, impeded, seasonally waterlogged. Soil preferences acid, very acid. Soil texture: heavy, light, medium. Special soil tolerances: infertile, saline. Plants can tolerate occasional temperatures dropping to as low as -6°c [335 ]. Requires a sunny position in a well-drained but moisture-retentive lime-free soil [200 ]. Prefers soil with a pH in the range of 4 - 6 [335 ]. Plants can tolerate occasional flooding [303 ]. There are two primary forms of the plant. Var. tomentosa is generally found in more harsh environments, up to elevations of 300 metres and rarely up to 1,300 metres[303 ]. On the other hand, var. parviflora occurs in montane woodlands and grassland at altitudes of 1,800 - 2,700 metres [303 ]. The plant has escaped from cultivation and becomes invasive in some of the areas introduced to[416 ]. Plants grown from seed can begin to bear fruit when 3 - 4 years old[335 ], while plants raised through cuttings will bear fruit in about two years [303 ]. Dwarf forms are more common for ornamental gardens (1/2 Normal Size). In its native range from India to Southeast Asia and the Philippines, R. tomentosa is a quick-growing early successional species found in a range of disturbed and open natural sites, often near the coast and sometimes on degraded shrubland slopes [1-8]. In Hawaii, it is found in disturbed mesic to wet forest and bog margins, from 200 to 640 meters elevation [1-8]. In Florida, it is documented as invading scrub, coastal strands, mesic flatwoods, wet flatwoods, baygalls, lakeshores, and ruderal communities [1-8]. Flowers are pollinated primarily by the bee species'Amegilla florea' and 'Xylocopa nasalis'[1-8]. It needs two bushes minimum for pollination. R. tomentosa is dispersed locally by birds (and sometimes mammals) which consume the fruit. Ants can also disperse seeds. Spread is facilitated by the high rate of fruit production and high germination rate [1-8]. In Java, flowering occurs from July to August and fruiting from September to October. In Singapore, flowering occurs throughout the year.
References Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information
Temperature Converter
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Plant Propagation
Seed - best sown fresh. Remove the seed from the fruit pulp before sowing[200]. Cuttings. Division of crowns.
Other Names
If available other names are mentioned here
Ceylon hill-cherry, Downy myrtle, Downy rose myrtle, Hill-gooseberry, Rose myrtle, Guayabillo forastero (Spanish).
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Found In
Countries where the plant has been found are listed here if the information is available
Native Extant (resident) Cambodia; China; Hong Kong; India; Indonesia; Japan; Lao People's Democratic Republic; Malaysia; Myanmar; Philippines; Sri Lanka; Taiwan, Province of China; Viet Nam. Extant & Introduced (resident) Australia, French Polynesia; Macao; Thailand; United States.
Weed Potential
Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section.
Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.
A noxious weed in Hawaii and Florida and also a problem in Raiatea, French Polynesia. In its native range in Asia, it is a weed in Malaysia and Thailand. Several characteristics, including its popularity in cultivation, ability to form dense monocultures, bird- and mammal-dispersed fruits, ability to tolerate mild freezing and saline conditions, high seed production and germination, aggressive growth rate, and ability to resprout following fire events, make this species a serious invader [1-8].
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status : Least Concern.
Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.
Expert comment
Author
(Aiton) Hassk.
Botanical References
Links / References
For a list of references used on this page please go here
A special thanks to Ken Fern for some of the information used on this page.
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Subject : Rhodomyrtus tomentosa
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