Southern wax myrtle is an evergreen large shrub to small tree native to moist location in the United States, New Jersey to southern Florida and west to Texas. It has an upright, open form, multiple trunks and twisting branches. The leaves are aromatic when crushed, dark, olive green and linear to lance-shaped, occasionally toothed above the middle. Wax myrtle is dioecious, the male and female flowers on different plants. The flowers are small, yellow-green and inconspicuous. The small, but abundant fruit on female plants is a drupe or stone fruit, dark purple-blue to black in color with a white, waxy bloom. The fruit is attractive to birds and persist throughout the winter.
Wax myrtle is a popular landscape plant used for hedges, screens and borders. It prefers moist, well-drained soil and full sun to part shade and is adaptable to drier locations and is moderately drought tolerant one established. This plant is somewhat short-lived and suckers from the roots form thickets. Selective pruning of older trunks will increase life-span. Wax myrtle may also be pruned into hedges or small trees. Best uses for include containers, parking lots, natural areas, and specimen trees for urban areas or seaside gardens. Over-fertilization and trunk or root damage encourage infestation by leaf spot and rot diseases. (info source: Learn2Grow.com)
Genus - Myrica
Species - Cerifera
Common name - Wax Myrtle Southern
Pre-Treatment - Required
Hardiness zones - 7 - 10
Height - 10'-20' / 3 - 6 m
Spread - 10'-20' / 3 - 6 m
Plant type - Shrub/Tree
Vegetation type - Evergreen
Exposure - Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial Shade
Growth rate - Fast
Soil PH - Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil type - Clay, Loam, Sand, Well Drained
Water requirements - Average Water, drought tolerant
Landscape uses - Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Hedges, Screening / Wind Break, Topiary / Bonsai / Espalier, Tropical, Water Gardens
Germination rate - 75%
Bloom season - Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Leaf / Flower color - Olive / Yellow Green
Useful Info | |
Germination | If necessary, remove all wax from seed, wash in warm detergent water to completely get the wax off, rinse 3 times. Cold stratify for at least 30 days (60-90 days recommended) in moist sterile soil, sand or vermiculite. Place the the medium with the seeds in to the air tight ziplock bag. Check periodically. Sow seed after the pretreatment 1/4" deep, tamp the soil, mulch the seed bed. |