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.  Flowers bloom in spring, small, and in male (staminate) and female (pistillate) catkin-like clusters, may also be bisexual; male and female clusters may be on the same or separate plants, often yellow-green and inconspicuous but may be reddish under good sun exposure.   Fruits are warty, spherical, 6 mm diameter, green then dark purple to black, usually with a white 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 lower side 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.