northern bayberry
Myrica pensylvanica
USDA zones3 to 7
SunHandles full sun to partial shade
WaterHandles dry to wet soil
Size5 to 10 feet tall5 to 10 feet wide
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Habit
- Dense
- Bloom season
- Spring, summer, autumn, winter
- Bloom color
- Yellowish green (male)
- Foliage color
- Gray/silver, green
- Soil types
- Sand, loam, clay
- Soil pH
- Acid, neutral, alkaline
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
Northern bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica) is a shrub for borders, hedges, privacy screens, and naturalized areas. It is hardy to USDA zone 3, or down to -40°F (-40°C). This plant likes full sun to part shade and dry to wet, sandy, loamy, or clay soil. It is not a favorite of deer or rabbits, though hungry ones will eat almost anything. It tolerates salt spray, so it suits coastal yards. You need both male and female plants to get berries, and the white berries feed many winter birds.
Pairs well with Common snowberry, Sedge, and Invincibelle Ruby smooth hydrangea.
Native range
Eastern North America.