Virginia Tech Dendrology

waxmyrtle Myricaceae Morella cerifera (L.) Small Listen to the Latin symbol: MOCE2
Leaf: Alternate, evergreen, simple, fragrant, spatulate in shape with a tapered base, 3 inches long, 5/8 inch wide, toothed, dark green and waxy-shiny above, pale green below, yellow resin dots on both surfaces.
Flower: Species is dioecious; both male and female flowers are small (1/2 inch), appearing as catkins in the leaf axils in spring.
Fruit: Round, waxy bluish-white drupes (1/8 inch in diameter), appearing in clusters on short stalks.
Twig: Slender and brittle, covered with brown pubescence, becoming smooth and gray-brown with age.
Bark: Thin and smooth, gray-brown.
Form: Small tree or large shrub, often multi-stemmed and growing in clusters, generally rounded or irregular in shape, with a crooked or twisting bole.
 Looks like: northern bayberry - odorless bayberry - sweetgale
leaf flower fruit twig bark form1 map
Additional Range Information: Morella cerifera is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting.
External Links: USDAFS FEIS Silvics - USDA Plants Database - Horticulture Information
All material © 2018 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range maps courtesy USGS from USDA "Atlas of United States Trees" by Elbert L. Little, Jr., Vol. 1 (1971) 3 (1976) 4 (1977) 5 (1978)