# wax myrtle (*Morella cerifera*) The wax myrtle is a lovely shrub with shiny green leaves and small blue berries. It grows in warm places and is great for making homes for birds and other animals. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 4 - **Habitat:** Coastal areas ![wax myrtle](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Starr_031108-0155_Morella_cerifera.jpg&width=800) Photo: Forest & Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Starr_031108-0155_Morella_cerifera.jpg) ## Appearance The wax myrtle is an evergreen shrub or small tree with glossy, olive-green leaves that are aromatic when crushed. It has smooth, pale gray bark and produces distinctive small, waxy, grayish-blue berries clustered along its branches. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Fagales - **Family:** Myricaceae - **Genus:** Morella ## Interesting facts - Early American colonists used its bark to treat fevers and stomach issues. - Its berries are covered in a special wax that was once used to make sweet-smelling candles! - Many birds flock to its waxy berries, gobbling them up for winter energy! - This tough plant loves salty air, growing right by the ocean! ## Special abilities - **Soil Supercharger:** Wax myrtle can partner with special root bacteria to make its own fertilizer, helping it grow in sandy, poor soils. - **Coastal Cruiser:** Wax myrtle has tough leaves and roots that let it handle salty winds and soil, making it a great beach plant. - **Waxy Winter Snacks:** Wax myrtle produces energy-rich, waxy berries that provide essential food for birds during cold months. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 300-600 cm - **Spread:** 200-400 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late winter to spring - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Wind ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** [Yellow-rumped Warbler](https://www.snappit.app/explore/yellow-rumped-warbler) (*Dendroica coronata*) — consumes waxy berries in winter - **Eats:** [Tree Swallow](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-swallow) (*Tachycineta bicolor*) — relies on berries for winter energy - **Eats:** [Northern Bobwhite](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-bobwhite) (*Colinus virginianus*) — forages for berries and cover ## Traits - [Aromatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aromatic): Aromatic plants produce and emit fragrant volatile organic compounds, often for defense or to attract pollinators. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Drought Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/drought-tolerant): Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch the berries, as they are not for eating. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify wax myrtle? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is wax myrtle? 300-600 cm ### How wide does wax myrtle spread? 200-400 cm ### When does wax myrtle bloom? Late winter to spring ### Is wax myrtle edible? No ### Is wax myrtle toxic? None ### What is wax myrtle's lifecycle? Perennial ### How is wax myrtle pollinated? Wind ## Where to spot - [Cape Lookout Coast Guard Station](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cape-lookout-coast-guard-station) — US · Historic Site - [The Gardens of the American Rose Center](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/the-gardens-of-the-american-rose-center) — Louisiana, US · Botanical Garden - [Bellingrath Gardens and Home](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bellingrath-gardens-and-home) — Alabama, US · Botanical Garden - [Cape Lookout Village Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cape-lookout-village-historic-district) — North Carolina, US · Historic District - [Causeyville Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/causeyville-historic-district) — Mississippi, US · Historic District - [Matanzas State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/matanzas-state-forest) — Florida, US · Forest [View all places to see wax myrtle](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/wax-myrtle) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Wax Myrtle: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/wax-myrtle)