Wax Myrtle

Myrica cerifera L.

MIRE-ah-kah ser-IF-er-ah

Myricaceae

Explanation of name: The generic name apparently comes from Greek myrike for the Tamarisk shrub. Cerifera means wax-bearing.

Natural range: Florida native, and in the Caribbean Region (TOM)

Natural habitat: Swamps, pine woods, margins of wet places (PBCC, HAE)

Recognition: Robust native shrub with narrow, elongate, coarsely sawtooth fragrant leaves having minute yellowish glands on both sides. The abundant tiny dioecious flowers in dense spikes followed by numerous small (BB-sized) waxy blue fruits arrayed along the stems

Landscape uses: A fast-growing dense native shrub or small tree valued for broad tolerances and toughness. Useful as an informal hedge (not tolerant of heavy pruning), foundation plantings, mass, screen, or specimen. The foliage is fragrant.

The fruits feed the Yellow-Rumped Warbler.

Notes: The wax can be boiled from the fruits for candle-making. Detailed  floral illustrations in TOM. The roots have symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria allowing the species to tolerate especially poor soils. The related Myrica pensylvanica is bayberry.