Wax Myrtle – Morella cerifera | Bayou Evergreen & Traiteur Herb

The Bayou’s Evergreen Healer

Wax Myrtle (Morella cerifera) is a Louisiana native through and through — a fast-growing, aromatic evergreen shrub that lines the edges of bayous, prairies, and coastal marshes across the state. Traiteurs used its leaves as a fever remedy and insect repellent, and its waxy berries were historically boiled to make bayberry candles. It’s one of the toughest, most adaptable plants in the Southern landscape.

• Light: Full sun to part shade
• Evergreen: Yes
• Maintenance: Low

Aromatic, resilient, and deeply rooted in Cajun land tradition. A living windbreak and medicine cabinet in one.