USDA Plants Database
NWF Native Gardening and Invasive Plants Guide
Wax Myrtle
Myrica cerifera
An evergreen shrub or small tree, wax myrtle is popular as a hedge and roadside planting. It does not require much care and attracts birds.
Native Range:
Southeastern United States, from the Florida Keys north to southern New Jersey, and west to eastern Texas
Habit:
Wax myrtle is an evergreen, and does not require much maintenance.
Culture:
Wax myrtle enjoys mild winters and hot, humid summers. It grows best in full sun to partial shade, and average soil, but can tolerate nutrient-poor soil.
Leaves:
The leathery leaves are wedge-shaped and about three or four inches long. They are aromatic when crushed.
Flowers:
Wax myrtle's inconspicuous flowers, which lack petals and sepals, form in clusters between February and June.
Fruit:
The fruit is a small bluish-white nutlet, covered with a layer of wax. Its fruit ripens between August and October. It is eaten by several bird species. In the past, people used the wax to make candles and soaps.
Size:
Wax myrtle can grow as high as 40 feet and as wide as 20 feet.
Where to find wax myrtle at the Zoo:
Under the O Line on Olmsted Walk and in the American alligator exhibit outside the Reptile Discovery Center
