WAX MYRTLE AT A GLANCE COMMON NAME: Wax myrtle
SPECIES: Myrica (mir-i'ka) cerifera (se-rif'fer-ra). Myrica is old Greek name, possibly
for for tamarisk, which is a slender-branched shrub or small tree common near salt water.
Cerifera means wax-bearing.
SIZE: 10-12 feet tall, 8-10 feet spread.
EXPOSURE: Sun to part shade. Tolerates salt spray and wind.
FOLIAGE: Slender evergreen leaves 1-3 inches.
BERRIES: Greenish-grayish waxlike, aromatic fruit on female plants. Liked by birds.
CULTURE: Medium drainage, soil and moisture. Thrives in almost any situation, including
bogs. Tolerates salt water, spray and wind.
PRUNING: None needed; can be pruned up into small tree.
USES: Screening, hedges, borders, background material. Trim to tree form for planter
boxes. Looks good with junipers.
PROBLEMS: None.
RELATED VARIETY: Myrica pensylvanica, or bayberry, similiar culture needs as wax
myrtle; dense, mounded and spreading growth habit.
Sources: Landscape Plants of the Southeast, Virginia Cooperative Extension,
Taylor's Guide to Shrubs |