Myrica pensylvanica (Northern Bayberry) (Wax Myrtle)

This semi-evergreen shrub makes a great low maintenance screening plant. East coast native. The fragrant leaves smell and taste like bay leaves and are used for flavoring soups and stews. The Native Americans taught Europeans to boil and use the waxy drupes to make candles and sealing wax. Grows in sun- dappled shade and forms thickets over time. The bark is reddish, muscular and twisted for visual interest. Rich in essential oils, the bark makes good kindling. Deer resistant. Drought tolerant. Ht 8 ft. x W10’ Zones 3-9