Myrica pensylvanica
Overview
Uses: Hedges, screens, mass plantings, erosion control, coastal gardens, wildlife habitat.
Benefits: Glossy, aromatic foliage gives off a pleasant spicy scent when brushed. Waxy gray berries on female plants persist through winter for seasonal interest and songbird food. Nitrogen-fixing roots allow it to thrive in poor, sandy, or infertile soils.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3–7
Sun: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Life Cycle: Deciduous Shrub
Growth Habit: Rounded, Spreading — dense, multi-stemmed form that suckers to form colonies.
Foliage Color: Green
Mature Height: 6–8 feet
Mature Width: 6–10 feet
Growth Rate: Slow to Moderate
Summary
Northern Bayberry is a tough, versatile native shrub for the spots where many other plants struggle. It grows into a dense, rounded mound of glossy, aromatic leaves. It handles sandy soil, salt spray, and steady wind with ease, which makes it a natural fit for coastal properties, roadside plantings, and lean, hard-to-plant ground.
The leathery foliage can hold on well into winter in milder years. When you brush against it or crush a leaf, it releases a warm, spicy fragrance. On female plants, clusters of small, waxy gray berries line the stems from late summer through winter. They add texture to the dormant landscape and feed songbirds when other food is scarce. That same berry wax has been used for generations to make traditional bayberry candles, which is where the plant's old common name, Candleberry, comes from.
Northern Bayberry is native to the coastal dunes, pine barrens, and wetland edges of eastern North America, and it adapts to a wide range of conditions. It tolerates drought, wind, poor soil, and occasional wet spells. Over time it spreads by suckers into full, informal thickets that stabilize slopes and give wildlife shelter.
Care
Northern Bayberry Care
Plant Northern Bayberry in full sun to partial shade. Full sun produces the fullest growth and the heaviest berry set. It adapts to sand, clay, loam, and poor or infertile ground, grows in both acidic and alkaline soils, and holds up well to salt spray and wind.
Water regularly through the first growing season while roots establish. Once settled, Northern Bayberry is drought tolerant and seldom needs supplemental watering. Its nitrogen-fixing roots mean it rarely needs feeding. In very lean soils, a light application of slow release fertilizer in spring can help young plants get going.
Pruning needs are minimal. Shape lightly in late winter if needed, and keep in mind that flowers and berries form on the previous year's growth, so heavy pruning will reduce the next season's berries. To control spread, remove unwanted suckers at the base.
Size
What Size is the Northern Bayberry for Sale Online?
Our Northern Bayberry ships in a greenhouse-grade grow pot and is appropriately sized for its container at the time of shipment. If you have specific sizing or planting questions, please contact us.
How Large Does Northern Bayberry Grow?
Northern Bayberry typically reaches 6 to 8 feet tall and 6 to 10 feet wide at maturity. It spreads slowly by suckering and can fill in as a dense colony over time.
Additional Information
What are some common names for this plant?
This plant is commonly known as Northern Bayberry and Candleberry. The name Candleberry comes from the traditional practice of rendering the waxy berry coating into fragrant bayberry candles.
Is Northern Bayberry deer resistant?
Yes. Deer tend to avoid the aromatic foliage, which makes Northern Bayberry a dependable choice where browsing is a problem. Browse our Deer-Resistant Shrubs and Evergreens collection for more options.
Does Northern Bayberry need a pollinator?
Northern Bayberry is dioecious, which means each plant is either male or female. Only female plants produce the ornamental waxy berries, and only when a male plant grows nearby to provide wind pollination. Planting several shrubs together improves the odds that both sexes are present. Explore our full Shrubs & Bushes collection.
Can I choose a male or female Northern Bayberry?
Our Northern Bayberry plants are not sexed, and we cannot verify or guarantee the sex of any plant we ship. If you request a specific sex, we will do our best to accommodate you. For the best chance of berries, we recommend planting several shrubs together.
What wildlife does Northern Bayberry support?
The persistent winter berries are an important food source for songbirds, including yellow-rumped warblers, tree swallows, chickadees, bluebirds, and catbirds. The dense branching offers nesting sites and year-round shelter, and the foliage serves as a larval host plant for the Columbia Silkmoth. See more wildlife-friendly options in our Native Plants of North America collection.
