Myrsine africana L.

Common Name: Cape Myrtle, African Boxwood
Family: Primulaceae Vent.

Country of Origin: Africa, Himalayas & China

Description: Slow-growing, upright, leafy shrub to 4 ft (1.2 m) tall by 30 in (75 cm) wide. The aromatic foliage is 3/4 in (18 mm) long and glossy dark green, and the berries are 1/4 in (6 mm) across and pale blue in color.

Culture: Sun to semi-shade; acid to alkaline soils although they perform poorly in shallow, dry soils. Propagate from seed or cuttings.

USDA Zone: 9-11

Accession Data:

Accession # 198501362
Source:
Accession Date: 12-31-1985
Bench: 1109 - AFR:Ground Bed 1 SW
- Currently: active - healthy
- Qty: 1 confirmed on 02-26-2025

Classification:

Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
SubClass: asterids
Order: Ericales
SubOrder:
Family: Primulaceae
SubFamily: Myrsinoideae
Tribe:
SubTribe:

Flowering Data:

This accession has been observed in bloom on:

Year	Jan				Feb				Mar					Apr				May				Jun					Jul				Aug				Sep					Oct				Nov				Dec
2025
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006

References (internal):

EEB Greenhouse Holdings native to: Azores / Ethiopia / Somalia / Kenya / Tanzania / Angola / Malawi / Mozambique / Zambia / Zimbabwe / Namibia / Afghanistan / Yemen / China South-Central / China North-Central / China Southeast / Tibet / India / Pakistan

References (external):

Botanica, Turner & Wasson, 1997, CD-ROM Version
Hortus Third, LH Bailey Hortorium, 1976
The Plant List (2013). Version 1.1. Last accessed on Friday, June 30, 2017.
Myrsine africana at ARS-GRIN. Last accessed on Friday, June 30, 2017.
Myrsine africana at PlantzAfrica. Last accessed on Friday, June 30, 2017.
Image #00 (cropped) and #01 (original) by A. Barra (Own work) [GFDL or CC BY 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

data regenerated on Wed, 26 Feb 2025 11:33:03 -0500 [bcm v4.0]