Myrica Northern Bayberry

Myrica Northern bayberry is a native deciduous to semievergreen (in the South) shrub offering 3 seasons of interest and many attributes for the landscape. Myrica Northern bayberry is grown for its lustrous, leathery dark green leaves, which are aromatic when crushed. The leaves are set against reddish brown bark that turns gray with age. Although the shrub blooms in spring, the flowers are insignificant. However, if they are pollinated, grayish white drupes will follow and remain throughout the winter, attracting birds.

Myrica pensylvanica, commonly called Northern bayberry or bayberry, is a densely branching woody shrub with an erect, rounded habit. It grows 6 to 8 feet tall and wide and suckers easily, spreading to form colonies over time. Shown to best effect when mass planted, the shrub is especially well suited for hedges and screens and combines well with broadleaf evergreens. A nitrogen-fixing shrub, bayberry naturally improves the soil in which it is planted by taking nitrogen from the air and converting it into a usable form in the soil.

Cold hardy to Zone 3, bayberry grows best in a sunny location with moist, well-draining soil, having a pH of 5 to 8, but it tolerates part shade and adapts to a wide range of soils, including poor, wet, clay, loam, and sandy soils. It is also deer resistant and salt tolerant.

A native plant, bayberry is indigenous to eastern U.S., from the Carolinas to Maine and west to Ohio. Native plants are not only beautiful but also environmentally friendly. Naturally adapted to the climate and soil conditions of the region, they thrive without fertilizers or extra watering, once established. They also act as natural pest controls, reducing the need for pesticides in the garden. Landscaping with native plants promotes biodiversity and provides shelter and quality food for wildlife and pollinators, bringing gardens to life.