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Morella cerifera
Also called Wax myrtle, Southern Wax Myrtle, Bayberry, Candleberry, Southern Bayberry, Waxberry, Common Wax Myrtle
Southern wax myrtle is an evergreen shrub or small tree native to the southeastern US, Central America and the Caribbean, grown for its fragrant leaves and wax-coated berries. It is very adaptable and tolerates wet, sandy or poor soils.
Myrica cerifera is an evergreen tree or large shrub native to North and Central America and the Caribbean. Its common names include southern wax myrtle, southern bayberry, candleberry, bayberry tree, and tallow shrub. It has uses in the garden and for candlemaking, as well as a medicinal plant.
The fruit is a source of food for many bird species, such as the wild turkey and the northern bobwhite quail. In winter, the seeds are important foods for the myrtle warbler and tree swallow. To a point, M. cerifera will also provide habitat for the northern bobwhite quail. Birds' digestive systems remove the wax from the fruit, a prerequisite for germination.
Myrica caroliniensis · California Wax Myrtle · Myrica esculenta
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Myrica cerifera by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
