The Complete Guide to Wax Myrtle Court Plant Care

Wax myrtle ( Myrica cerifera ), also known as southern bayberry or southern wax myrtle, is a versatile and attractive plant that can thrive in a variety of settings. These trees are perfect choices for coastal settings as they are very tolerant of salt and sand. This article provides a comprehensive guide to wax myrtle court plant care, covering everything from planting to ongoing maintenance, ensuring your wax myrtle flourishes.

Choosing the Right Location

Selecting the optimal location is crucial for the healthy development of your wax myrtle. Choose a site with full sun to partial shade where its shallow roots won’t be disturbed. Wax myrtle trees like acidic, moist, and well-draining soil. If you are planting more than one tree, space them six to 12 feet apart.

Planting Your Wax Myrtle

Proper planting is essential to give your wax myrtle the best start. Here's a step-by-step guide:

1. Digging the Hole: Dig a hole that is two to three times as wide as your tree’s rootball and the same depth.
2. Amending the Soil: Amend the soil you’ve removed for drainage, moisture retention, and nutrients.
3. Loosening the Roots: Loosen the tree’s roots with your fingers before placing the tree into the hole.
4. Positioning the Tree: Line up the rootball’s top edge so that it sits just above the surrounding soil. Add some soil to the bottom of the hole if you need additional height.
5. Backfilling the Hole: Hold the tree straight while returning the soil to the hole. Tamp the soil down around the roots as you go, stopping when it is half full. Fill the hole with water, letting it drain. Continue backfilling with the soil until you’ve reached the top. Soak it again.
6. Creating a Water Collection Wall: Use the leftover soil to make a wall several inches high around the edges of the planting hole. It will help with water collection and retention, as will adding a layer of mulch.

Watering

Young wax myrtle trees need moist soil when they are first establishing roots. Once established, the trees will tolerate extreme conditions such as drought and flooding. During especially dry periods, water deeply and less frequently than daily waterings. Keeping the rootball and surrounding soil moist is ideal.

Fertilizing

Wax myrtle trees are not heavy feeders but do enjoy the addition of some iron and sulfur.

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Pruning and Maintenance

Wax myrtle trees require little ongoing maintenance. You may need to prune your tree to remove dead or diseased branches. If you are shaping your tree into a desired shape or form or a hedge, you may also choose to trim the tree. Know that this species responds well to heavy pruning. But if you decide to remove significant portions of your tree, you should do so in winter when the plant is dormant.

Common Pests and Diseases

There are a few common pests that can afflict a wax myrtle tree, including whiteflies and spider mites. They are also hardy and tolerant of most conditions, but high pH soils can cause the leaves’ yellowing. There are also infrequent issues with leaf anthracnose, leaf spot, and leaf mosaic. Each can be dealt with using preventative measures.

Container Planting

Growing wax myrtle in a container is a viable option, especially for those with limited space. Here’s how to do it:

1. Choosing the Right Container: Ensure your container is large enough to accommodate your tree’s root growth for two to three years.
2. Adding Drainage: Add drainage material such as gravel to the bottom of the pot before adding your soil.
3. Selecting the Soil: Use a high-quality potting mix that is loose and allows for good drainage.
4. Planting: Plant as directed above for in-ground trees.

Additional Information and Uses

Wax myrtle trees bloom in March and April in warmer climates. Cooler locales have blooms from April to June. These trees are dioecious, meaning the male and female flowers are on different trees. Only the female trees will produce berries.

Candlemakers use wax myrtle tree leaves for making candles both fragrant and flammable. The leaves are full of aromatic resin, as are the tiny dots covering them. When crushed, the leaves emit a strong fragrance. This trait makes the tree a popular choice for walking gardens. Some gardeners plant wax myrtle trees for their beneficial nitrogen-fixing properties. Native Americans used parts of the tree for certain medicinal preparations.

The fruit of the wax myrtle tree is edible but isn’t very tasty. The fruit is quite intense and can be eaten raw or cooked. The fruits are sometimes used in winemaking, and the leaves are a foaming agent in some beer recipes. These trees attract many animals, birds, and bugs and provide excellent winter cover. The tree is a host plant for some butterflies and attracts other pollinators with its flowers.

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