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Common Waxmyrtle

Morella cerifera

—
Not scored

Native status: sources disagree, under review. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 82%

Height
20–25 feet
Spread
8–10 feet
Light
Dappled sunlight, Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture
Somewhat dry to moist

Space about 9 ft apart from its recorded spread. Enter your bed size for a count

Will it fit your yard?

At a glance

Life cycle
Woody perennial
Leaves
Deciduous, semi-evergreen or evergreen
Bloom
April
Fruiting season
August to October

County records are not available.

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in West Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 33 animals.

Widespread birds also seen here (26)

Found in many habitats here, so not listed above.

All wildlife of West Virginia

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

63CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including WV

Genus host records with ranges including WV · Myrica

  • Acharia stimuleaSaddleback Caterpillar Moth
  • Acleris minutaLesser Apple Leaf Folder, Yellowheaded Fireworm
  • Acronicta impressaImpressive Dagger, Printed Dagger
  • Acronicta oblinitaSmeared Dagger
  • Adoneta spinuloidesPurple-Crested Slug
  • Archips argyrospilaFruit-Tree Leafroller Moth
  • Argyrotaenia velutinanaRed-Banded Leafroller Moth, Jack Pine Tube Moth
  • Autographa amplaLarge Looper Moth, Broken-Banded Y, Climbing Looper
  • Biston betulariaSalt-and-Pepper Geometer, Cleft-Headed Looper
  • Caloptilia stigmatellaPoplar Caloptilia
Show all 63
  • Calycopis cecropsRed-Banded Hairstreak, Cecrops Hairstreak
  • Catocala antinymphaWayward Nymph, Sweetfern Underwing
  • Catocala consorsThe Consort
  • 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
  • Eurois occultaGreat Grey Dart, Great Brocade
  • Eutrapela clematariaCurved-Tooth Geometer, Purplish Brown Looper
  • Iridopsis defectariaBrown-Shaded Gray, Willow Looper
  • Kocakina fidelisIntractable Quaker, Green Fruitworm, Fourlined Green Fruitworm
  • Leptostales rubromarginariaDark-Ribboned Wave
  • Lycia ypsilonWoolly Gray
  • Melanchra assimilisBlack Arches
  • Melanolophia canadariaCanadian Melanolphia, Variable Redmarked Looper
  • Morrisonia confusaConfused Woodgrain
  • Nematocampa resistariaFilament Bearer, Horned Spanworm Moth
  • Nemoria bistriariaTwo-Striped Emerald, Red-Fringed Emerald
  • Nemoria mimosariaWhite-Fringed Emerald
  • Nemoria rubrifrontariaRed-Fronted Emerald
  • Oedemasia concinnaRed-Humped Caterpillar, Red-Humped Appleworm
  • Olethreutes appendiceumServiceberry Leafroller
  • 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
  • Phragmatobia fuliginosaRuby Tiger Moth
  • Plagodis pulverariaAmerican Barred Umber, Barred Umber
  • Prochoerodes lineolaLarge Maple Spanworm Moth
  • Prolimacodes badiaSkiff Moth, Skiff Caterpillar
  • Protolampra brunneicollisBrown-Collared Dart
  • Rheumaptera hastataSpear-Marked Black Moth, Spear Mark
  • Rheumaptera subhastataWhite-Banded Black Moth
  • Sphinx kalmiaeFawn Sphinx, Laurel Sphinx
  • Spilosoma virginicaVirginian Tiger Moth, Yellow Woolybear Moth, Yellow Bear
  • Strepsicrates smithianaBayberry Leaftier
  • 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
  • Xylena nuperaRed Swordgrass Moth, American Swordgrass Moth, False Armyworm
  • Aroga argutiola
  • Olethreutes sericoranum
  • Stigmella myricafoliella
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
—BeesSoutheastern regional records
—Specialist beesPollen specialists
12BirdsRecorded eating Morella in West Virginia

Diet records by plant genus, from studies across North America. Not a record from this state. Birds whose range includes West Virginia, most records first.

Show all 12
Avian Diet Database (Hurlbert Lab)

Direct food only. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

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

Birds that eat Morella 12

Diet records by plant genus, from studies across North America. Not a record from this state. Avian Diet Database (Hurlbert Lab), CC0 1.0.

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Myricaceae
Hardiness
Zones 7a–11b
Soil pH
Acidic
Flower color
Yellow or green
Growth rate
Moderate
Growth habit
Spreads by rhizomes
Foliage color
Green
Fruit begins
August
Fruit ends
October

What its natural habitat tells you

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

Growing sources and scope
Also known as

Myrica cerifera; sweet gale; sweet-gale

Conservation status

West Virginia rankSNA
Global rankG5
WV statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

Will it fit your yard?

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How to check your spot

Growing cautions

For planning only; these do not change the score or Fit.

Sources