Jessie Keith
Family
Myricaceae
Botanical Name
Myrica
Plant Common Name
Bayberry
General Description
The relatively small genus, Myrica, contains between 50 and 90 species of trees and shrubs that exist in all parts of the world except Australasia. Most of the species are evergreen and thrive in tough growing environments from the arctic to windswept coastal and volcanic landscapes. Their resilience is due in part to their ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen into the soil.
Most Myrica have paddle-shaped leaves that are tapered at the base and broader at the tip. These are arranged in a spiral pattern on the stem. The inconspicuous flowers are either monoecious (separate male and female flowers on the same plant) or dioecious (separate male and female flowers of separate plants). They are pollinated by wind and the female flowers produce waxy drupe fruits that are often fragrant. In fact, the fruits of the northern and southern American bayberries (M. pensylvanica and M. cerifera) are used to make fragrant bayberry candles.
Cultivated bayberries tend to prefer full sun and grow well in soils with good drainage and poor to average fertility. They have few pests and diseases and are ideal for less formal, more naturalistic landscape locations.
