Myrcianthes fragrans 'Geode'

Myrcianthes fragrans is a member of the myrtle family native to the hammocks and coastal scrub of Florida and the Caribbean, the same botanical neighborhood as guava and allspice, which says something about the family character and the quality of the fragrance involved. Crush a leaf and the scent is immediate and specific: nutmeg with a citrus edge, clean and resinous in a way that makes the plant worth encountering even out of flower. The tiny, deep green leaves hold the aromatic oils responsible, and keep that quality year-round.

The flowers appear in profuse white clusters, small and spidery with prominent stamens, fragrant and reliably drawing butterflies and native bees. They peak in spring and continue sporadically through the year in warm conditions. What follows is arguably the best ornamental moment: small, bright red berries in pairs, the source of the common name twinberry, that ripen through summer and are taken promptly by mockingbirds, waxwings, and a range of other birds that have learned to find them. The fruit is edible for people as well, sweet and mild.

The bark deserves mention. On mature specimens in partial shade, where the foliage thins slightly to reveal the structure beneath, the smooth reddish-brown bark exfoliates in irregular plates with a quiet elegance few shrubs manage. Not a feature that announces itself from a distance, but at close range one of the more distinguished things about the plant.

'Geode' is an improved selection from AgriStarts in Apopka, Florida, chosen for enhanced drought tolerance, reliable fruiting, and a consistently compact habit, the name a nod to the jewel-like quality of the paired red berries against the dark foliage. More manageable in the garden than seedling-grown plants of the straight species, 'Geode' responds well to pruning as a formal hedge or an informal screen.