Phyllanthus myrtifoliusCeylon Myrtle

Phyllanthus myrtifolius, the Ceylon Myrtle, carries hundreds of small glossy leaves in neat ranks along arching stems that weep as the plant matures. It clips as tightly as box and cascades convincingly over a wall edge, which is an unusual combination.

It is one of the most heavily used edging and low hedging shrubs in Asian and Gulf landscape work, and it also mass plants as a low cover.

Specifications

• Height0.6 to 1 metre
• Width1 to 1.5 metres
• Native toSri Lanka and southern India
• FoliageSmall, narrow, glossy leaves set densely along arching weeping stems; evergreen
• Growth rateModerate

Conditions

• SoilPrefers well-drained soils and tolerates poor and sandy ground
• LightFull sun to partial shade
• WaterLow to moderate; tolerates dry spells once established
• ClimateThrives in tropical and subtropical regions and is frost-sensitive

Additional Features

• FormLow mounding to cascading, with arching weeping stems
• UsesIdeal for low hedging and edging, mass ground cover, wall and planter cascades and median planting
• SpacingPlant 0.5 to 0.6 metres apart for a continuous low hedge or mass
• Low MaintenanceClips readily to shape and holds a crisp edge with two or three trims a year
• Pest ResistanceGenerally robust and free of significant problems
• Drought ToleranceHolds condition on low water once established

Ceylon Myrtle is the low hedging default across much of Asia and the Gulf, and the weeping habit gives it a softness that clipped box cannot offer.