Morella californica
Common name: 
Pacific Waxmyrtle
California Waxmyrtle
Pronunciation: 
mor-EL-a kal-i-FORN-i-ka
Family: 
Myricaceae
Genus: 
Morella
Synonyms: 
formerly Myrica californica
Type: 
Broadleaf
Native to (or naturalized in) Oregon: 
Yes
  • Broadleaf evergreen shrub, 10-12(30) ft [3-3.7(9) m], many upright stems, loose.  Leaves simple, alternate, clean looking, 5-11 cm long, narrow, lanceolate, dark green, light green below, dotted with black or yellow glands, regularly toothed.  Flowers bloom in spring, small, and in male (staminate) and female (pistillate) catkin-like clusters, may also be bisexual; male and female clusters may be on the same or separate plants, often yellow-green and inconspicuous but may be reddish under good sun exposure.   Fruits are warty, spherical, 6 mm diameter, green then dark purple to black, usually with a white waxy coating, evident in fall.
  • Sun, or partial shade.  Withstands damp locations and summer drought.  It has root nodules containing nitrogen-fixing microorganisms, allowing it to grow in relatively poor soils.  Used as a screen, can be pruned to keep it in shape.  Considered one of the best looking native western shrubs for the garden.
  • Hardy to USDA Zone 7      Native to the Pacific Coast and coastal valleys from Washington to southern California.  Not to be confused with the similar M. gale (bog-myrtle, sweet-gale), which is a smaller (to 2 m) deciduous shrub, the lower side of its leaves are dotted with yellow waxy glands and its fruit is rather smooth.
  • In contrast to Morella pensylvanica (Northern Bayberry), the leaves of Morella californica are not aromatic when crushed.  In addition, the berries of M. californica have a low content of aromatic wax and thus are not used to make the scented candles associated with Northern Bayberry.
  • Taxonomy: Myrica californica  to  Morella californica:  A recent treatment of the family Myricaceae has Myrica californica renamed as Morella californica (Morella californica (Cham. & Schltdl.) Wilbur). Now the genus Morella has about 50 species ranging from North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. Only few plants, such as Myrica gale, the bog-myrtle or sweet-gale of Europe and northeastern North America and Myrica hartwegii, the California native Sierra Myrtle remain in the genus Myrica   (San Marcos Growers).  The WFO Plant List (https://wfoplantlist.org/plant-list/) has Morella californica as the accepted name (2024).
  • Myrica: Greek name for Tamarix, californica: of California.
  • Oregon State Univ. campus: north of Shepard Hall.
Click image to enlarge
  • plant habit, several shrubs

    plant habit, several shrubs

  • plant habit

    plant habit

  • sheared, until someone ran out of ladder

    sheared, until someone ran out of ladder

  • leaves

    leaves

  • leaf underside with glands

    leaf underside with glands

  • leaves and stem, comparison

    leaves and stem, comparison

  • leaves and flowers, spring, in shade

    leaves and flowers, spring, in shade

  • leaves and flowers, spring, sun

    leaves and flowers, spring, sun

  • flower catkins and leaves, sun

    flower catkins and leaves, sun

  • female, male and bisexual flowers

    female, male and bisexual flowers

  • flower spikes, mostly female

    flower spikes, mostly female

  • developing fruit and leaves

    developing fruit and leaves

  • leaves and fruit

    leaves and fruit

  • shoot, leaves and fruit

    shoot, leaves and fruit