Wax Myrtle
Myrica cerifera
- Native to:
- Bahamas, Belize, Bermuda, Cayman Is., Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panamá, Puerto Rico, Southwest Caribbean, Turks-Caicos Is., United States
Forest & Kim Starr (www.hear.org)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Myricaceae
- Genus:
- Myrica
- Species:
- Myrica cerifera
- USDA Symbol:
- MOCE2
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Shrub , Subshrub , Tree
- Height:
- 1200 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- mar,apr,may
- Landscaping Shrub:
- Yes
Wildlife Benefits
- Caterpillars:
- ★★★☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Keystone Species Ranking
- Caterpillar Keystone:
- ★★★★★ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Acrobasis cirroferella, Apical Prominent (Schizura apicalis), Apple Sphinx (Sphinx gordius), Apple Sphinx (Sphinx "gordius"), Argent and sable (Rheumaptera hastata), Bay underwing (Catocala badia), Bayberry Leafroller Moth (Strepsicrates smithiana), Caloptilia flavella, Cameraria obstrictella, Cecropia moth (Hyalophora cecropia), Chain-lined geometer moth (Cingilia catenaria), Clostera apicalis, Dogwood borer (Synanthedon scitula), Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis), Io moth (Automeris io), Isa textula, little wife underwing (Catocala muliercula), Phrudocentra centrifugaria, Polyphemus moth (Antheraea polyphemus), Red-humped caterpillar moth (Schizura concinna), red-lined emerald (Nemoria rubrolinearia), Slosson's roadside skipper (Alarodia slossoniae), Spotted Apatelodes (Apatelodes torrefacta), Stigmella myricafoliella, Red-banded Hairstreak (Calycopis cecrops)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Hummingbirds: Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) Moths:Bagworm moth (Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis), fir tussock moth (Orgyia detrita), Kocakina fidelis, little wife underwing (Catocala muliercula), Nason's slug moth (Natada nasoni), Polyphemus moth (Antheraea polyphemus), skiff moth (Prolimacodes badia), waxmyrtle wave moth (Cyclophora myrtaria) Butterflies:Ceraunus Blue (Hemiargus ceraunus), Dusky-blue Groundstreak (Calycopis isobeon), Eastern Pygmy-Blue (Brephidium pseudofea), Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus), Phaon Crescent (Phyciodes phaon), Salt Marsh Skipper (Panoquina panoquin), Southern Broken-Dash (Polites otho), White Checkered-Skipper (Burnsius albezens), White Peacock (Anartia jatrophae)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Salt Tolerant:
- Yes
- Fragrant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts vigorously from root crown following fire. Common in fire-maintained coastal and pine savanna ecosystems.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, acidic, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 4.5 - 6.5 (acidic to slightly acidic)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- Commonly found in coastal and wetland areas
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–90 days
- Germination Time:
- 30–90 days
- Notes:
- Seeds benefit from removal of waxy coating before stratification. Germination can be erratic.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Clean seed
Source: npn.rngr.net