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Myrica californica Myricaceae
Pacific Waxmyrtle, California Waxmyrtle
  mi-RI-ka kal-i-FORN-i-ka
- Broadleaf evergreen shrub, 10-12(30) ft [3-3.7(9) m], many upright stems, loose. Leaves simple, alternate, clean looking, 5-11 cm long, narrow, lanceolate, dark green, light green below, dotted with black or yellow glands, regularly toothed. Spring flowers are inconspicuous, fruit are warty, dark purple, almost black, usually with a waxy coating, evident in fall.
- Sun, or partial shade. Withstands damp locations and summer drought. Used as a screen, can be pruned to keep it in shape. Considered one of the best looking native western shrubs for the garden.
- Hardy to USDA Zone 7 Native to the Pacific Coast and coastal valleys from Washington to southern California. Not to be confused with the somewhat similar M. gale (Sweet-gale), which is a smaller (to 2 m) deciduous shrub, the lowerside of its leaves are dotted with yellow waxy glands and its fruit is rather smooth.
- In contrast to Myrica pensylvanica (Northern Bayberry), the
leaves of Myrica californica are not aromatic when crushed. In
addition, the berries of M. californica have a low content of aromatic wax
and thus are not used to make the scented candles associated with Northern Bayberry.
- Myrica: Greek name for Tamarix. californica: of California.
- Oregon State Univ. campus: north of Shepard Hall.