Scientific Name:
Myrica californica
Pronunciation:
mur-EYE-kuh kal-ih-FORE-nih-kuh
Common Name:
California wax myrtle, Pacific wax myrtle
Family Name:
Myricaceae
Plant Type:
Broadleaf evergreen
Key ID Features:
Shrub multi-stemmed, about 4m tall; leaves alternate, oblanceolate, most blades 6-8(-13)cm long x 1.5-2.5cm wide, dark green, aromatic, petioles 4-8mm long; flowers in short spikes or catkins, Apr-Jul; drupes round, 3-5mm wide, slightly waxy purple berry clustered at nodes, Sep-Oct.
Habit:
Dense, Twiggy, Upright
Form:
Oval - vertical, Round
Texture:
Medium
Mature Height:
10 - 15m
Mature Spread:
7 - 10m
Growth Rate:
Slow
Origin:
B.C. west of Cascades, U.S. - northwest, U.S. - southwest
Hardiness Rating:
Zone 7: (-18 to -12 °C)
Exposure:
Full sun
Soil/Growing Medium:
Well-drained
Landscape Uses:
Screening, Tall background, Wildlife food
Additional Info:
Leaf Morphology:
Form:
Simple
Arrangement:
Alternate
Texture/Venation:
Leathery
Surfaces:
Distinctive smell
Colour in Summer:
Dark-green
Colour in Fall:
Dark-green
Shapes:
Lanceolate, Oblanceolate
Apices:
Acuminate
Bases:
Cuneate
Margins:
Serrulate
Inflorescence Type:
Floriferous
Flower Morphology:
Monoecious plant
Number Of Petals:
0
Ovary Position:
Superior
Colour (petals):
Not showy, White, Green-yellow, Purple, Red
Flower Scent:
None
Flower Time at Peak:
May, Jun
Fruit Type:
Drupe
Fruit Colour:
Purple, Black
Fruiting Time:
Nov
Additional Info:
Showy, (bumpy and waxy)
Bark Morphology:
Smooth
Bark or Stem Colour:
Grey
Leaf Bud Type:
Conical (long-pointed)
Leaf Scar Shape:
Crescent shaped
Organ Modifications:
Ectomycorrhizae, Root nodules (N-fixing)
Propagation:
Seed
Maintenance:
Low
Pest Susceptibility:
Dieback, Fungal leaf spot, Root rot
