Common Myrtle
Myrtus communis — Myrtaceae
Italiano: Mirto — Mirtu
Description
Common Myrtle (Myrtus communis) belongs to the Myrtaceae family and is native to Europe. It thrives in Mediterranean scrub, Coastal hills environments across regions including Italy_Sardinia, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Turkey. Botanically, Common Myrtle is berries liqueur. Leaves flavor meat. Strong aromatic essence.. It is also known locally as Mirtu. The edible parts include Berries, Leaves. With an edibility rating of 7/10, it ranks as a good wild food source. Harvesting is best done during December, November, October and September. Nutritionally, Common Myrtle stands out for its Vitamin K (35.0mg, 29% DV), Vitamin C (16.0mg, 18% DV) and Zinc (0.4mg, 4% DV). It also provides 2.0g protein and 3.0g dietary fiber per 100g serving. In the kitchen, Common Myrtle offers a Aromatic pungent flavor profile. Liqueur flavoring infusion. Common culinary applications include liqueur, flavoring, infusion. Popular preparations include Myrtle liqueur, Meat with myrtle, Fresh berry compote, Wild berry jam. For storage, dried leaves 12mo. Safety note: No toxicity. Moderate essential oils. Antinutrient content is moderate essential oils. Always verify identification with at least three independent botanical sources before consumption.
🌿 Foraging Tips
🍳 Recipe: Myrtle liqueur
This is one of the traditional ways to prepare this wild edible plant. Always ensure proper plant identification before cooking.
Edibility
Harvest Calendar
Nutrition (per 100g)
Culinary Uses: liqueur, flavoring, infusion Storage: Dried leaves 12mo
Recipes
- Myrtle liqueur
- Meat with myrtle
- Fresh berry compote
- Wild berry jam
- Berry syrup for pancakes
- Wild winter pesto made from Common Myrtle
- Traditional Common Myrtle soup
- Common Myrtle and potato frittata
