Morella cerifera (Native)

Non-native plants this species can replace:
Common Name
Wax myrtle
Southern bayberry
Plant Form
Medium Trees
Duration
Perennial
Max Height (ft)
20.0
Growth Rate
Fast
Region
Coastal
Piedmont
Hardiness Zone
7, 8, 9
Commercially available
Yes

Photographer: kenbehrens
Licensed under: CC BY-NC 4.0
Original photo: Original photo

Photographer: kenbehrens
Licensed under: CC BY-NC 4.0
Original photo: Original photo

Photographer: wanderingeden
Licensed under: CC BY-NC 4.0
Original photo: Original photo

Additional Info

Interdune swales, maritime swamps, dune scrub, dune woodlands, maritime upland forests, mesic sandhill woodlands, depression ponds, seepage swamps, tidal swamps, mesic hardwood and successional pine-hardwood forests. Common in the coastal Plain; rare in the outer piedmont.

Wildlife value: Provides excellent winter and extreme weather cover. It is a host plant for the Red-Banded Hairstreak butterfly. Flowers provide an excellent source of nectar for honeybees and butterflies. The fruits are eaten by birds, especially yellow-rumped warbler (which are very efficient at digesting the waxy fruits) in the fall and winter.

Flower Color
Gold/Yellow
Green
Flower Prominence
Conspicuous
Bloom Time
Spring
Bloom Month
April
Evergreen
Yes
Light Requirements
Full sun
Partial sun
Shade
Moisture Requirements
Wet
Moist
Dry
Soil Texture
Sandy