Southern Bayberry

Morella caroliniensis

Native to South Carolina (estimated)

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

61CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including SC

Genus host records with ranges including SC · Myrica

Acharia stimuleaSaddleback Caterpillar Moth
Acronicta oblinitaSmeared Dagger
Adoneta spinuloidesPurple-Crested Slug
Archips argyrospilaFruit-Tree Leafroller Moth
Argyrotaenia velutinanaRed-Banded Leafroller Moth, Jack Pine Tube Moth
Biston betulariaSalt-and-Pepper Geometer, Cleft-Headed Looper
Caloptilia stigmatellaPoplar Caloptilia
Calycopis cecropsRed-Banded Hairstreak, Cecrops Hairstreak
Catocala consorsThe Consort
Catocala mulierculaThe Little Wife, Little Wife Underwing

Show all 61

Cecrita biundataWavy-Lined Heterocampa
Cenopis reticulatanaReticulated Fruitworm Moth
Cleora projectaProjecta Gray
Coelodasys apicalisPlain Schizura
Crocigrapha normaniNorman's Quaker
Cyclophora pendulinariaSweetfern Geometer
Episimus tyriusMaple Tip Borer
Eupithecia miserulataCommon Eupithacia, Common Pug
Eupsilia morrisoniMorrison's Sallow
Eutrapela clematariaCurved-Tooth Geometer, Purplish Brown Looper
Hellinsia balanotesBaccharis Borer Plume Moth, Groundsel Plume Moth
Hypomecis buchholzariaX
Iridopsis defectariaBrown-Shaded Gray, Willow Looper
Kocakina fidelisIntractable Quaker, Green Fruitworm, Fourlined Green Fruitworm
Leptostales rubromarginariaDark-Ribboned Wave
Lycia ypsilonWoolly Gray
Megalopyge crispataBlack-Waved Flannel Moth, Crinkled Flannel Moth
Melanolophia canadariaCanadian Melanolphia, Variable Redmarked Looper
Micrurapteryx salicifoliellaWillow Leafblotch Miner Moth
Morrisonia confusaConfused Woodgrain
Nematocampa resistariaFilament Bearer, Horned Spanworm Moth
Nemoria bistriariaTwo-Striped Emerald, Red-Fringed Emerald
Nemoria mimosariaWhite-Fringed Emerald
Oedemasia concinnaRed-Humped Caterpillar, Red-Humped Appleworm
Oiketicus abbotiiAbbot's Bagworm Moth
Olethreutes permundanaRaspberry Leafroller
Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
Orthotaenia undulanaDusky Leafroller
Palthis angulalisDark-Spotted Palthis
Pandemis limitataThree-Lined Leafroller Moth
Parasa chlorisSmaller Parasa, Green Slug Moth
Parasa indeterminaStinging Rose Caterpillar Moth, Rose Slug Caterpillar
Pero zalissariaCoastal Pero
Plagodis pulverariaAmerican Barred Umber, Barred Umber
Prochoerodes lineolaLarge Maple Spanworm Moth
Prolimacodes badiaSkiff Moth, Skiff Caterpillar
Protolampra brunneicollisBrown-Collared Dart
Sphinx kalmiaeFawn Sphinx, Laurel Sphinx
Spilosoma virginicaVirginian Tiger Moth, Yellow Woolybear Moth, Yellow Bear
Strepsicrates smithianaBayberry Leaftier
Tallula watsoniWatson's Tallula
Tetracis cachexiataWhite Slant-Line
Utetheisa ornatrixOrnate Moth, Pink Underwing, Rattlebox Moth, Bella Moth
Xanthotype urticariaFalse Crocus Geometer
Xestia dilucidaDull Reddish Dart, Reddish Heath Dart
Xestia normanianusNorman's Dart
Aroga argutiola
Cenopis karacana
Dichomeris bipunctellus
Olethreutes sericoranum
Stigmella myricafoliella

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

1BeesSoutheastern regional records

Southeastern regional records · Myrica

Individual names are not available yet.

Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0

0Specialist beesPollen specialists

18BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Morella

Sialia sialisEastern Bluebird
Aythya collarisRing-necked Duck
Catharus guttatusHermit Thrush
Catharus minimus/bicknelliGray-cheeked/Bicknell's Thrush
Fulica americanaAmerican Coot
Gallinula galeataCommon Gallinule
Hylocichla mustelinaWood Thrush
Plectrophenax nivalisSnow Bunting
Quiscalus majorBoat-tailed Grackle
Sphyrapicus ruberRed-breasted Sapsucker

Show all 18

Tachycineta bicolorTree Swallow
Turdus migratoriusAmerican Robin
Tyrannus tyrannusEastern Kingbird
Vireo gilvusWarbling Vireo
Vireo griseusWhite-eyed Vireo
Vireo olivaceusRed-eyed Vireo
Vireo philadelphicusPhiladelphia Vireo
Vireo solitariusBlue-headed Vireo

Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Myricaceae
Flower color: Green
Growth rate: Moderate
Growth habit: Several stems
Foliage color: Dark green
Fruit begins: Summer
Fruit ends: Fall

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “Spring” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Flower color · “Green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Foliage color · “Dark green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit begins · “Summer” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit ends · “Fall” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth habit · “Several stems” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth rate · “Moderate” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Height · “About 7 feet” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Leaf retention · “Evergreen” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Light · “Shade (minimum requirement); Partial sun (minimum requirement)” · Virginia DCR Coastal Plain · Virginia regional planting chart; sunlight is a minimum requirement, moisture is low/moderate/high
primary_flower_color · “green” · USDA PLANTS
Soil · “Low; Moderate” · Virginia DCR Coastal Plain · Virginia regional planting chart; sunlight is a minimum requirement, moisture is low/moderate/high

Also known as

Myrica heterophylla; sweet gale; sweet-gale

Conservation status

South Carolina rank	Not available
Global rank	G5
SC status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

Will it fit your spot?

Check this plant against your county, sun and soil moisture. Conditions are checked in your browser.

Choose a county to begin.

How to check your spot