Southern wax myrtle
Morella cerifera (L.) Small
Also called southern wax myrtle, wax myrtle. Synonyms: Myrica cerifera.
Fast native evergreen with aromatic leaves and waxy gray fruit for winter birds. Builds a quick informal screen on coastal and wet sites.
Size over time
Typical landscape size 3–6 m (10–20 ft) tall and 3–6 m (10–20 ft) wide; fast growth, about 4 years to maturity. Intermediate sizes use the planner’s growth curve (k = 0.45) from the #3 install size.
Design notes
- Multi-trunked and can splay or split in ice; remove suckers to keep a tree form.
- Shorter-lived than hollies — expect 20–30 years.
Regions
Native range: Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain from New Jersey to Florida and Texas.
Native to these OpenLandscape3D pilot regions:
Native status describes where the species occurs naturally. It is not a promise that it suits a particular garden; site conditions decide that.
Related plants
Plan with Southern wax myrtle
Place it in a design, check it against your zone, light and moisture, and see it at year three and year ten.