– Prune out suckers and unwanted growth each spring when young to allow selected branches to form a multi trunk patio tree when used as a small scale landscape specimen. Be careful not to remove more than 1/3 of the growth at any given time and avoid pruning into sticky non foliated leaf areas as recovery will be slow if at all if pruned to deeply. – Prune in March or April and again in summer and fall as needed to maintain a Wax Myrtle Hedge. See watering your newly planted trees for more information. – Water every day during the establishment period. – They make an ideal patio tree or small scale ornamental tree in sun or shade and will make an excellent privacy hedge when clipped and maintained in a full sun location. – Wax Myrtle trees are without a doubt a necessity for local birders and wildlife lovers alike. – The leaves are a larval food source of the red banded hair streak The dense foliage characteristic of the plant make an ideal habitat for nesting local birds as well as resting migrants. – Not only do they provide a great reliable winter food source for birds, but – According to the University of Florida’s IFAS, Wax Myrtle trees are an important part of the winter diet for a surprising number of birds including wild turkeys, bob white quail, waterfowl, catbird, thrasher, bluebirds, vireos, and warblers and are the main food source for wintering tree swallows here in the Florida landscape. – Although Was Myrtles will be found growing naturally in moist sandy soils, they can be quite drought tolerant once established in the landscape. The berry clusters that follow are a prized food source for overwintering birds in the North Florida | Jacksonville | St. – Smaller clusters of white blooms in summer held close to the branches and stems tend to be inconspicuous. – Wax Myrtles grow extremely fast and commonly add 2-3 feet in height each growing season when young. – Multi trunked habit forming a rounded head if left to grow naturally as a small landscape ornamental or patio tree. – Most often seen at heights of 10-15 feet High | 6-10 feet wide, although they have been known to reach considerably higher in moist sandy wooded areas. They make an ideal patio tree, hedge row or small scale ornamental tree for coastal landscapes in the North Florida | Jacksonville | St. – Perhaps only second to its ability to provide shelter for birds on the list of Wax Myrtle virtues is the salt tolerance of these shrubs or small trees. – Wax myrtles tend to prefer moist sandy soils but are highly adaptable to a wide range of soil conditions. Wax Myrtle Soil Preference / Salt tolerance: – Bark of the native Wax Myrtle tree is a dark grey spotted with lenticels when young and a mottled gray and white when aged. – Evergreen foliage of the Wax Myrtle tree is strongly fragrant when crushed and can be used as a substitute for the much harder to find bay leaves when cooking. Wax Myrtle (Morella Cerifera) Foliage | Bark: – If planning on keeping this plant pruned into a hedge row planting in full sun is recommended as the plant will tend to thin out at the base tending to grow into more of a tree form when grown in the shade. – The Florida Wax myrtle will grow in full sun or in shade.
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