Woody > Morella > Morella californica > Morella californica
Morella californica
California Wax Myrtle
Origin: Native to coastal regions of California, Oregon and Washington State.
| Family |
| Myricaceae |
| Genus |
| Morella |
| Species |
| californica |
| Category |
| Woody |
| Type |
| Shrub (evergreen) |
| USDA Hardiness Zone |
| 7a - 10b |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone |
| 8 - 10 |
| RHS Hardiness Zone |
| H1a - H2 |
| Temperature (°C) |
| -18 - (-15) |
| Temperature (°F) |
| 0 - 5 |
| Height |
| 3 - 10 m |
| Spread |
| 3 - 7 m |
Photographs
Cultivars
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Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
| Landscape |
| Windbreak, screen planting and hedges. |
| Cultivation |
| Thrives in full sun and moist soils. Tolerant of partial shade, drought, and high salinity. Prefers slightly acidic soils with a minimum pH tolerance of 6.0. |
| Shape |
| Upright, multi-stemmed and takes on a round or full shape. |
| Growth |
| Medium |
| Pests |
| Susceptible to Phytophthora. |
| Habitat |
| Coastal dunes, lower wetlands and moderate meadows. |
| Bark/Stem Description |
| Glabrous. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description |
| Small, shiny and are covered with a waxy coating. Sometimes have hairs that point toward the stem. |
| Leaf Description |
| Simple, arranged alternately and range from complete to a mildly serrated shape. They reach 13 cm at their longest and about 3 cm wide. Each leaf has a dominant midrib and oppositely arranged vasculars. |
| Flower Description |
| Flowers appear in male, female and bisexual catkins all on the same branch arranged alternately above the leaves. Female catkins predominantly near the terminal bud. Catkins are about 3 cm long. |
| Fruit Description |
| Globose drupe that spans only about 4 - 7 mm and forms in clumps as a result of several ovaries fusing together. |
| Colour Description |
| Young shoots are green and a reddish-brown as it matures. The leaves are a dark green and paler towards the underside. Male catkins are a reddish-purple while the female are light green. The flowers are a reddish-purple and have a whitish-purple fruit. |
| Texture Description |
| Coarse texture. |
| Notable Specimens |
| Propagation |
| Seed, which are best sown just after ripening in autumn. Should be placed in trays or small containers and kept inside for the first winter. Hardwood cuttings are not successful, but terminal and sub-terminal cuttings can successful if they are kept indoors at a temperature of roughly 25ËšC and treated with a rooting hormone. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses (Disclaimer) |
| Historically, Morella californica's fruit was crushed and used to produce wax for candles. Dried fruit can be used to produce dyes of greyish-brown and maroon purple colour. |
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