Virginia Tech Dendrology

odorless bayberry Myricaceae Morella inodora (Bartram) Small Listen to the Latin symbol: MOIN
Leaf: Alternate, evergreen, simple, lacking a fragrant, spatulate, obovate or ovate in shape with a tapered base, 3 inches long, 3/4 inch wide, often toothed near the tip but may be entire, leaf edges often rolled under, dark green and waxy-shiny above, bright green and pubescent 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, before the leaves.
Fruit: Round, warty, waxy drupes, 1/4 inch in diameter, black to dark brown, borne on long stalks, usually solitary.
Twig: Medium texture, green to reddish brown, covered in downy pubescence, wedge-shaped buds, round to shield-shaped leaf scar.
Bark: Thin and smooth, gray-brown to almost white.
Form: An upright shrub to 20 feet.
 Looks like: waxmyrtle - northern bayberry
leaf twig bark form1 map
Additional Range Information: Morella inodora is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. See states reporting odorless bayberry.
External Links: USDA Plants Database
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)