Wax Myrtle Tree Myrica cerifera

1. Planting: Wax Myrtles prefer well draining, slightly acidic soils, but will adapt to just about any soil type. If you’re located near a beach, this makes for a great tree as it is tolerant to sea spray. Select a location where where it will receive full to partial sunlight (4 to 8 hours of sunlight per day) and where the roots will not be disturbed.

When you're ready to plant, dig a hole twice as wide and just as deep as the root system. Tamp the soil down as you back fill the hole to cut back on any air pockets from forming. After planting, be sure to give your Wax Myrtle tree a deep watering for about 5 minutes. Mulching around the tree will help insulate the roots and keep your plant warm in the colder winter months as well.

2. Watering: Wax Myrtles do best when watered around the drip line every 10 to 14 days. As a rule of thumb, if the soil is moist 2 to 3 inches down, avoid watering your tree until it’s dry.

3. Fertilizing: Wax Myrtles generally do not require very much fertilizing. If you do fertilize, avoid anything with an excessive amount of nitrogen.

4. Pruning: When growing your Wax Myrtle as a hedge, minimal pruning is required to maintain a desired shape. Be sure to do any pruning in early spring before new growth starts. When the shrub is young, it can be trained into a tree form by choosing the largest and strongest stem (or stems if you’d prefer a multi-trunk tree) and pruning all other stems to ground level.