Wax myrtle is an aromatic, evergreen shrub that occurs across the southeast. It has a close relative along the margins of higher quality wetlands of the lake states - sweet gale.
It's a fast-growing shrub in Florida. Above is a little sucker from the picture on top. Wax myrtle fixes nitrogen in the soil, which is extremely important for these nutrient-poor sandy sites.
It's also very flammable because of the oils in the leaves and stem. My guess is that the individual above is only a 2-3 year-old resprout of the plant that caused the tree behind it to catch on fire the last time this particular stand was burned, which was 2006. Don't ever plant wax myrtle right next to your house.
The other day, I noticed that many berries were starting to form on the stems. These will ripen over the next month and a half, turning a bluish-gray color.
These berries are the commercial source of bayberry candles. So if money is tight for us this Christmas, don't be surprised if you get a your very own southern bayberry candle!
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