ギンバイカは古くから神聖な木で、花が愛や美とともに純潔や不死を象徴。葉を千切ったり揉んだりするとユーカリのような芳香が漂います。
Myrtle has long been considered a sacred tree, and its flowers symbolize innocence and immortality as well as love and beauty. When the leaves are shredded or kneaded, it has a eucalyptus-like fragrance.
【仮名】ギンバイカ, マートル
【和名】銀梅花
【英名】Myrtle, Common Myrtle
【学名】Myrtus communis
【誕生】02/ 07, 02/ 09
【開花】05, 06月
【花色】White
ギンバイカ
ギンバイカの姿
ギンバイカはフトモモ科の常緑低木です。原産地は地中海沿岸～欧州南西部。日本へは明治時代に移入されました。寒さに弱いものの、根付けば丈夫で病害虫に強い、白色の花々と芳香。枝葉が密に繁り、刈り込みにも耐えるので、庭木や鉢植えだけでなく、生け垣にも向いています。
ギンバイカの花
ギンバイカの花は白い花弁が５枚、長い雄しべが多数。枝葉に密生する白銀色の花々が、何となく梅に似ているから「銀梅花」です。花後はオリーブのような液果を結び、熟すると紫黒色に。果実は食べられるものの、独特の苦味があるため、乾燥させてスパイスなどに用いられます。
ギンバイカの葉
ギンバイカの葉は光沢があり、長い楕円形で先が尖り、葉柄がとても短く、対生。千切ったり揉んだりするとユーカリのような芳香が漂います。そのため、「銀香梅」や「銀香木」という別名も。香草として肉料理に、薬草として婦人病に用いられ、精油は「マートル」と呼ばれます。
ギンバイカの木
ギンバイカは結婚式の装飾や花嫁のブーケに用いられ、「祝いの木」とも呼ばれます。地中海沿岸部では古くから神聖な木とされ、それぞれの時代や地域で愛と美を司る女神に花が捧げられました。花言葉は「愛のささやき」。純白の花は愛や美とともに純潔や不死も象徴しています。
Myrtle
Myrtle is an evergreen shrub of the family Myrtaceae. The place of origin is from the Mediterranean coast to southwestern Europe. It was introduced to Japan in the Meiji era. White flowers and fragrance that are vulnerable to the cold, but are strong and resistant to pests once rooted. The branches and leaves are densely grown and can withstand pruning, so it is suitable not only for garden trees and potted plants, but also for hedge.
Myrtle flowers have 5 white petals and many long stamens. The silver-white flowers that grow densely on the branches and leaves are somehow similar to plums, so they are called “silver plum blossom.” After flowering, it produces fruit like olives and turns purple-black when ripe. Although the fruits are edible, they have a unique bitterness, so they are dried and used as spices.
The leaves of Myrtle are shiny, long oval, pointed, very short peduncle, and opposite. When shredded or kneaded, it has a eucalyptus-like fragrance. Therefore, it is also known as “silver scent blossom” or “silver scent tree”. It is used in meat dishes as a cooking herb and for women’s diseases as a medicinal herb, and the essential oil is called “myrtle”.
Myrtle is used for wedding decorations and brides’ bouquets and is also called a “celebration tree”. It has long been considered a sacred tree on the Mediterranean coast, and flowers were dedicated to the goddess of love and beauty in each era and region. The flower language is “whisper of love.” Pure white flowers symbolize innocence and immortality as well as love and beauty.
