Myrica cerifera
Object Details
- Description
- The southern wax myrtle is an aromatic plant. Its leaves, flowers, and fruit all smell of bayberry. In fact, the fruit of this species have been used to scent candles, soap, and sealing wax. Due to all of the scented resin and wax on this plant, it is also highly flammable.
- Hardiness
- 0 - 50 F
- Attracts
- Birds to fruit and shelter.
- Bloom Time
- February to March
- Ethnobotanical Uses
- Fruit have been used to make bayberry candles, soaps, and sealing wax.
- Provenance
- Uncertain
- Data Source
- Smithsonian Gardens
- Accession Number
- 2024-0253A
- Restrictions & Rights
- CC0
- Life Form
- Evergreen shrub/sub-shrub
- Average Height
- 15-25'
- Bark Characteristics
- Smooth, light gray
- Bloom Characteristics
- Female: fragrant catkins Male: slightly yellow-green, fragrant catkins.
- Dioecious
- Yes.
- Foliage Characteristics
- Simple, alternate, oblong, aromatic leaves with entire to serrate margins. 2-4" long. Dotted with small yellow resin glands.
- Fruit Characteristics
- Blue, round. Mature in late summer to fall and persist through winter. Fruits surrounded by aromatic waxy substance.
- Structure
- Round, vase
- Range
- New Jersey to Central America, Caribbean
- Habitat
- Wetlands, river margins, sand dunes, pine barrens, hillsides, upland forests
- See more items in
- Smithsonian Gardens Display Collection
- On Display
- National Museum of Natural History
- Common Name
- Southern bayberry
- Southern Wax Myrtle
- Waxmyrtle
- Group
- [vascular plants]
- Class
- Equisetopsida
- Subclass
- Magnoliidae
- Superorder
- Rosanae
- Order
- Fagales
- Family
- Myricaceae
- Genus
- Myrica
- Species
- cerifera
- Topic
- Display Gardens
- Living Collections
- Record ID
- ofeo-sg_2024-0253A
- Usage
- CC0
