Wax Myrtle (Myrica cerifera)
Wax Myrtle is an evergreen tree that may grow 20 to 25 feet tall, but usually is much shorter. The leaves are alternate with a toothed margin, aromatic odor, and yellow resin dots on both surfaces. The bark is thin, smooth, and gray-brown. In spring, small male and female slim, cylindrical flowers mature. The small tree produces a bluish-white drupe that matures in clusters on short stalks. Some populations are dioecious and some are monoecious, which means that in some cases only the females produce fruit.
WildlifeProvides excellent winter and extreme weather cover. Host plant for Red-Banded Hairstreak butterfly. Fruits are eaten by birds, especially yellow-rumped warblers (which are very efficient at digesting the waxy fruits), in the fall and winter.
| Plant Type |
Tree 10-30 feet |
| Leaf Type |
Evergreen |
| Deer Resistance |
High |
| Regions |
Piedmont, Coastal Plain |
| Light |
Full Sun, Partial Sun/Shade |
| Soil |
Wet, Moist, Dry |
| Bloom Times |
Early Spring |
| Seed Times |
Fall |
| Wildlife Value |
Winter Cover, Fleshy Fruit, Butterfly Larvae Host |
 |
 |
|
