Morella cerifera

Southern Wax Myrtle is unique for a number of reasons. It can be used to create a year-round living screen/hedge as it is one of our few native evergreens. It fixes atmospheric nitrogen in the soil just like a legume. Its fruit is eaten by birds and can be used to make bayberry scented candles, soaps and sealing wax. This plant is related to the northern bayberry and is sometimes called Southern Bayberry. Plants are either male or female and both are needed to produce fruit. We think it makes an attractive landscape plant, either used as a large shrub or trained as a small tree.