California Wax Myrtle (Morella californica, formerly classified as Myrica californica) is a moderately fast growing, long-lived shrub that can also be shaped into a tree form. With an upright form, California Wax Myrtle hedges are popular for native gardens, especially those with a more traditional or formal aesthetic.
California Wax Myrtle grows most during the spring and summer. The shiny deep evergreen leaves remain on the plant throughout the year, making a California Wax Myrtle hedge an especially attractive backdrop for garden planting. Its yellow flowers bloom in the early summer, followed by waxy purple berries in fall.
California Wax Myrtle hedges do best in coastal gardens, but they can also do well inland when they are given slightly more moisture and afternoon shade.
Morella californica/Myrica californica - California Wax Myrtle Hedge
Optimal Growth Conditions
- Mature Height: 6 - 30 feet tall
- Mature Width: 10 - 20 feet wide
- Sun: Full Sun, Filtered Sun, Partial Sun, Partial Shade, Shade
- Water: Low, Moderate
- Soil Drainage: Medium
Geographic Appropriateness
- USDA Zone: Zones 7 - 10
- Sunset Zone: Zones 5 - 9, 14 - 24
- Native Sites: Dunes, coastal hills, inland foothills and valleys in conjunction with northern coastal prairie or scrub, woodland, or sometimes wetland/riparian communities
Additional Landscaping Information- Characteristics: California Native, Flowering, Drought Tolerant, Evergreen, Formal Hedge, Fragrant
- Special Uses: Bank stabilization, Hedge