Myrica caroliniensis: Country Or Region Of Origin
Pennsylvania to Eastern Texas
Plant Profile: Myrica caroliniensis
Taxonomy: Myrica caroliniensisNames
Bayberry, Swamp Bayberry
Phonetic Spelling:mur-EYE-kuh kair-oh-lin-ee-EN-sis
Genus:Myrica
Species:caroliniensis
Family:Myricaceae
Bayberry is a perennial shrub that typically reaches heights of 6 to 8 feet. Its leaves are arranged alternately, featuring a serrated edge and a pleasant fragrance, and are broader than those of M. cerifera. The bark is slender, smooth, and exhibits a gray-brown hue. In the spring, the plant produces slender, cylindrical flowers that are either male or female. This small tree bears bluish-white drupes that grow in clusters on short stems. Since each plant is unisexual, it is necessary to cultivate both male and female specimens if seed production is desired.
For comparison, consider M. cerifera and M. pensylvanica.
Myrica caroliniensis Feature Summary
Myrica caroliniensis Image Gallery
Tags
#fragrant
#evergreen
#deciduous
#wildlife plant
#native shrub
#cover plant
#wet sites
#food source
#NC native
#screening
#larval host plant
#cover
#food source fall
#fruits
#bird friendly
#butterfly friendly
Similar Plants
Myrica caroliniensis is often confused with:
Myrica caroliniensis Feature Summary
Attributes
Pennsylvania to Eastern Texas
Primarily in coastal plains of SE US
It provides excellent winter and extreme weather coverage. It is a host plant for the Red-banded Hairstreak butterfly. Its fruits are eaten by birds, especially yellow-rumped warblers (which are very efficient at digesting the waxy fruits), in the fall and winter.
Leaves can be used like bay leaves to flavor soups, stews, etc.
Woody
Fruit
Small white to grey globose fruit.
Gray/Silver
White
Flowers
Small male and female slim cylindrical flowers
Insignificant
Spring
Leaves
glossy dark green leaves
Broadleaf Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Green
Simple
Alternate
Elliptical
Obovate
Serrate
3-6 inches
Glossy
Edible
Bark
Thin, smooth and gray/brown.
Dark Gray
Dark Brown
Whole Plant Traits
Shrub
Native Plant
Broadleaf Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Rounded
Erect
Dense
Medium
Medium
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Moist
Occasionally Dry
Coastal
Piedmont
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
Clay
Sand
Stem
Landscape
Edible Garden
Water Garden
Hedge
Screen/Privacy
Wet Soil
Salt
Poor Soil
Coastal
Pond
Butterflies
Myrica caroliniensis Image Gallery
Myrica caroliniensis Attributes
Myrica caroliniensis: Distribution
Primarily in coastal plains of SE US
Myrica caroliniensis: Wildlife Value
It provides excellent winter and extreme weather coverage. It is a host plant for the Red-banded Hairstreak butterfly. Its fruits are eaten by birds, especially yellow-rumped warblers (which are very efficient at digesting the waxy fruits), in the fall and winter.
Myrica caroliniensis: Edibility
Leaves can be used like bay leaves to flavor soups, stews, etc.
Myrica caroliniensis: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Myrica caroliniensis Fruit
Myrica caroliniensis: Fruit Description
Small white to grey globose fruit.
Myrica caroliniensis: Fruit Color
Gray/Silver
White
Myrica caroliniensis: Display/Harvest Time
Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter
Myrica caroliniensis Flowers
Myrica caroliniensis: Flower Description
Small male and female slim cylindrical flowers
Myrica caroliniensis: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Myrica caroliniensis: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Myrica caroliniensis Leaves
Myrica caroliniensis: Leaf Description
glossy dark green leaves
Myrica caroliniensis: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Myrica caroliniensis: Leaf Color
Green
Myrica caroliniensis: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Myrica caroliniensis: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Myrica caroliniensis: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Myrica caroliniensis: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Myrica caroliniensis: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Myrica caroliniensis: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Myrica caroliniensis: Leaf Feel
Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy
Myrica caroliniensis: Leaf Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy
Myrica caroliniensis Bark
Myrica caroliniensis: Bark Description
Thin, smooth and gray/brown.
Myrica caroliniensis: Bark Color
Dark Brown
Dark Gray
Myrica caroliniensis Whole Plant Traits
Myrica caroliniensis: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Myrica caroliniensis: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Myrica caroliniensis: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Myrica caroliniensis: Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Rapid
Myrica caroliniensis: Texture
Fine
Medium
Coarse
Myrica caroliniensis Cultural Conditions
Myrica caroliniensis: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Myrica caroliniensis: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Myrica caroliniensis: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Myrica caroliniensis: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
7a
7b
8a
8b
9a
9b
Myrica caroliniensis: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Myrica caroliniensis Stem
Myrica caroliniensis: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Myrica caroliniensis Landscape
Myrica caroliniensis: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Myrica caroliniensis: Design Feature
Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree
Myrica caroliniensis: Resistance To Challenges
Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind
Myrica caroliniensis: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
Myrica caroliniensis: Attracts
Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees
