Wax Myrtle

The dense, fine-textured foliage can be nicely manicured to create a more formal look or let the plant grow into its natural upright bushy form. Birds are attracted to the small fruit produced by the female plant. Small spring flowers are followed by clusters of tiny fruit that matures in fall and often lasts on the plant throughout the winter.

Terrific as hedge shrubs or privacy plants, these native Florida plants can grow to about 15 feet if you let them though most of the time they're kept trimmed to around 4 feet. This is an easy-care plant that can be kept more manicured for a formal look or left to grow in its naturally pretty rounded shape in a casual landscape style. There is a "horizontal" cultivar which can be grown as more of a groundcover shrub and is more salt tolerant than "Red Tip" coco plum.

Sometimes called Southern bayberry, wax myrtle was used by early American colonists to make bayberry candles from the fruit's waxy, bluish coating. The foliage is also aromatic. Plant in spring, summer, or fall, spacing plants 6 feet apart or closer if you want a hedge line. Dig a hole only as deep as the root ball and 2 to 3 times as wide. If your soil is in very poor condition, amend the soil you've removed from the hole with a small amount of compost. Otherwise don't amend it at all. Carefully remove the plant from the container and set it in the hole. Fill the hole half full with soil, then water it well to settle the soil and eliminate air pockets. Let the water drain, then fill the remainder of hole with soil and water thoroughly.