Wax Myrtle (Myrica cerifera) is a fast-growing, evergreen shrub or small tree native to the Americas, known for its aromatic, evergreen leaves with a spicy, conifer-like fragrance and clusters of blue, wax-coated fruits. It belongs to the Myricaceae family, is dioecious (having separate male and female plants), and requires both to produce the wax-covered berries that attract birds and were historically used to make candles.

• Form: Evergreen shrub or small tree 
• Leaves: Alternate, narrowly oblanceolate (wedge-shaped), leathery, toothed near the apex, and covered in aromatic amber-colored glands that give off a spicy scent when crushed
• Flowers: Inconspicuous, petalless, and borne in catkins (drooping, spike-like clusters) in early spring
• Fruits: Small, rounded drupes (nuts) covered in a distinctive bluish-white wax
• Dioecious: There are separate male and female plants; only female plants produce the waxy berries
• Size: Can grow quickly to 15-20 feet tall and wide, though it can reach up to 40 feet in height