Chapter 109 Morella (Myrica) cerifera
109.1 Wax myrtle
Wax myrtle in the landscape. Left unpruned, wax myrtle tends to be open and uneven. Link to original image.
Close-up of wax myrtle leaves
Close-up of the foliage and terminal branches. Link to original image.
109.2 Soil: Moist Deciduous Mix
Ratio: 4 parts bark, 1 part grit
Add-ins: dolomitic limestone (~5 lbs/yd), Tree-Tone (15 lbs/yd)
pH: ~6.5 (slightly below neutral)
Moisture: Average
109.3 Light
Routine: full to partial sunlight (4 to 8 hours of sunlight per day)
109.4 Cultivation Notes
109.4.1 Potting & Root Pruning
Schedule: spring.
Notes: limit root pruning. They dislike having their roots disturbed. At the same time they tolerate cramped roots.
109.4.1.1 Top & Branch Management
Heavy pruning: prune in early spring before new growth starts. When the shrub is young, it can be trained into a tree form by choosing the largest and strongest stem (or stems if you’d prefer a multi-trunk tree) and pruning all other stems to ground level.
Fine pruning:
Leaf pruning:
109.4.2 Feeding
Wax myrtles generally do not require very much fertilizing. Avoid using an excessive amount of nitrogen.
109.4.3 Pests & Problems
No serious insect or disease problems. Leaf browning typically occurs in cold winters.
109.4.4 Winter Storage
Mulch thoroughly. We are at the northern boundary of the USDA hardiness zone for wax myrtle, so trees will need extra protection.
109.5 Propagation Notes
109.6 Artistic & Styling Notes
109.7 Additional Information
109.7.1 Natural History
Native from New Jersey west to eastern Oklahoma and east Texas, south through Mexico to Central America as well as through much of the Caribbean.
A wispy, 6-12 ft., multi-trunked, evergreen shrub, southern bayberry or wax myrtle can reach 20 ft. in height. The light olive-green foliage has a spicy fragrance. Pale blue berries occur on female plants in the winter. Handsome gray bark is almost white on some plants.