All plants /Shrub /Wax Myrtle
Wax Myrtle
Morella cerifera, bayberry family. Common in East Texas.
At a glance
- What
- Aromatic leaves; waxy berries
- How
- Leaves as a bay-leaf substitute
- When
- Leaves year-round
- Where
- Wet East Texas woods and coast
- Value
- Aromatic seasoning
Caution: Use the leaves like bay: to flavor a pot, then removed before eating, not chewed. Never eat a wild plant on this guide's word alone. Confirm identity against several sources and learn the look-alikes first.
Identification
An evergreen shrub whose crushed leaves smell resinous and clean; the pale berries are coated in fragrant wax once used for candles.
Uses
A leaf or two flavors soups and stews just like a bay leaf. Fish it out before serving.
Photo: Alex Abair, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Forages well with
Forage safely. Never eat a wild plant on this site's word alone. Confirm identity with several sources, learn the look-alikes, and when in doubt, leave it in the ground.