The genus Myrica has a worldwide distribution that covers Eurasia and the Americas. Its ripened berries develop a protective coating of real wax that, in sufficient quantities, can be extracted and used to make candles and other items. Because true wax has historically been a prized commodity, it was previously worthwhile to collect and boil gallons of Myrica berries to skim off their modest wax coat. Now that petrochemicals have replaced the functions of innumerable plant and animal products, the cultural and economic value of this genus has been mostly forgotten.
In the arboretum, we have two species of Myrica on display: bayberry (Myrica heterophylla) and southern wax myrtle (Myrica cerifera).
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| This is our small patch of bayberry (M. heterophylla). It was purchased from Woodlanders Nursery (Aiken, South Carolina), and planted in February 1998. Currently, there aren't any fruits available for inspection. Our bayberry persists, but does not thrive. |
On the other hand, southern wax myrtle (M. cerifera) grows happily in the arboretum. In 1985, eight pots of southern wax myrtle were purchased from Clyde Gorum's Nursery (Shreveport), and planted in the newly founded arboretum. Over the past three decades, these plants have launched numerous invasions of the wetland area, attempting total colonization. Today, three of the original plantings remain, the rest having been steadily cut back to make space for other species. The suitabillity of this species to our local environment thus appears to be significantly greater than its M. heterophylla cousin.
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| The genus name draws on a Greek word, Myrike, with a complicated history. It's associated with the Greek Tamarisk shrub Tamarix smyrnensis. That plant is fragrant and waxy, and is known in Greece as Almyrike. The southern wax myrtle's species name, cerifera, means "waxy." So you might think of this plant as "double-waxy" or even "Waxy waxy." |
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| In this photo, we see one of the original 1985 plantings. This wax myrtle shrub is located on the north side of the arboretum, at the top of the arboretum drainage, where run-off water is funneled from up the hill at the bandshell, dormitories and cafeteria. This shrub has changed shape over the years, and intermittently suffered some damage. Several of our native vines must be periodically snipped from its branches, and the wax myrtle's branches must be pruned back from the railing, as it stretches toward the open sidewalk, vying for more sunlight. Overall, the shrub is well-suited to this spot and has required very little maintenance. |
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| Having this shrub next to the elevated sidewalk allows for easy inspection of the twigs. And look, we see fruits! Rustling the branches also provides a pleasing olfactory experience. Think "bay." |
Sometime around 2010, a southern wax myrtle volunteered in the western drainage channel next to a wooden footbridge, which has recently been rebuilt.
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| The footbridge was rebuilt just last month, in October. It looks great! |
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| Two arboretum guests hang from the southern wax myrtle shrub. |
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| Getting up close and personal with the shrub allows us the opportunity to spy the tiny fruits, which will otherwise go unnoticed. In silhouette we see the shapes of the leaves (lanceolate) and the berries which sit along branchlets. |
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| These berries are pale, grey-white, and wrinkled. That's normal. |
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| Each of these berries has a tiny wax coating, like an apple from modern grocery stores, except it's natural wax, not a petrochemical. If you find a gigantic stand of this bush at the correct time of year, you might be able to collect enough berries to make some candles. |
External Links
University of Florida IFAS blogpost on Wax Myrtle
National Park Service page on Wax Myrtle
Mississippi Wildlife & Fisheries Department data sheet on Wax Myrtle
Extremely helpful page on the practical extraction and use of northern Myrica species' wax
Our southern wax myrtle (Myrica cerifera) has something of a confused taxonomic history, as it is related to M. caroliniensis (you can read about that in a paper by Robert Wilbur).
