Wax Myrtle, Delivered and Planted in SW Florida
Fast, native and happy in poor sand, wax myrtle is a dependable privacy screen for Southwest Florida yards. It takes sun or part shade, handles both dry spells and wet, low spots, and the waxy gray berries on female plants feed birds. Left alone it becomes a small tree, so it suits yards with room or a gardener who will shear it.
- Light:
- Full sun to part shade
- Water:
- Low once established; handles dry sand and seasonal wet spots
- Salt:
- Moderate; takes light salt spray on canal and bay lots
Wax Myrtle sizes we deliver and plant
Every size below is planted by our crew, set at the right depth and watered in. Send the size and how many, and we text back a planted price, usually within the hour during the day.
| Plant | Sizes |
|---|---|
| Wax Myrtle | 3 Gallon, 7 Gallon |
Wax Myrtle in SW Florida, at a glance
- Mature size here
- 10 to 15 ft tall and 8 to 12 ft wide, taller if left unpruned for years
- Light
- Full sun to part shade
- Water
- Low once established; handles dry sand and seasonal wet spots
- Salt tolerance
- Moderate; takes light salt spray on canal and bay lots
- Cold tolerance
- Very cold hardy; SW Florida cold does not bother it
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Spacing
- 5 to 8 ft on center for a privacy screen; 8 to 10 ft as individual shrubs
- Florida native
- Yes, Florida native
- Botanical name
- Morella cerifera (also listed as Myrica cerifera)
Where Wax Myrtle works in a SW Florida yard
Wax myrtle earns its place along a back fence, the side of a lot or any boundary where you want a green wall within a couple of years. It also fits low spots and pond edges that stay wet in summer, where fussier hedges fail.
Mix it with firebush, Simpson stopper and dahoon holly for a native hedgerow that looks natural and feeds wildlife. For a clean, formal edge, shear it a few times a year. Unsheared, it loosens into an informal screen.
- Fast native privacy screen
- Bird and wildlife plantings
- Retention pond edges
- Mixed native hedgerows
How our crew plants it
Lay out the screen first: 5 to 8 ft apart for a hedge, 8 to 10 ft for individual shrubs. Each hole is two to three times as wide as the container and only as deep as the root ball, with the top of the ball level with the soil.
We backfill with native sand, water in, and mulch, and new plants need regular water through their first dry season under the extra-watering allowance for new plantings.
Care after planting
- Shear lightly two or three times a year in the warm months to keep a hedge dense, since unpruned plants thin out at the base.
- Fertilizer is rarely needed because wax myrtle fixes its own nitrogen, and nitrogen and phosphorus are off limits June 1 to September 30 in Lee County, Naples and Marco Island anyway.
- Water new plants regularly through the first dry season; established shrubs get by on rain.
- Cut out root suckers that pop up outside the planting line.
What to watch for
- It sends up root suckers and can spread into a thicket if you let it, so pull or mow shoots outside the planting line.
- Left unpruned, it grows leggy and thin at the bottom, which defeats the point of a screen.
Wax Myrtle questions we hear
How fast does wax myrtle grow for privacy?+
Wax myrtle is one of the faster native shrubs, often adding 2 ft or more a year once it is rooted in. A row spaced 5 to 6 ft apart can close into a solid screen within about three years. Full sun, regular water the first year and light shearing all speed it up.
How far apart should I plant wax myrtle for a privacy hedge?+
Plant wax myrtle 5 to 8 ft apart, center to center. Closer, about 5 to 6 ft, makes a denser screen sooner but needs more shearing, while 8 to 10 ft suits individual shrubs. Stagger a double row if you want a thicker, taller wall.
Is wax myrtle salt tolerant?+
Wax myrtle has moderate salt tolerance, enough for most canal and bay-side lots with light spray. It is native to Florida's coastal scrub too, but it can burn at the water's edge in constant salt wind. For the open beachfront, sea grape is the tougher choice.
Does wax myrtle grow in wet or low areas?+
Yes. Wax myrtle tolerates both dry sand and soil that stays wet through the rainy season, which is why it is common in Florida flatwoods and along pond edges. It handles brief flooding but is not a water plant, so skip spots that stay under standing water for weeks.
Do wax myrtle berries attract birds?+
Yes. Female plants carry waxy gray berries in fall and winter that many birds eat, including yellow-rumped warblers. Male plants do not bear berries. The leaves smell spicy when crushed, and the berry wax is what was once used for bayberry candles.
How much does it cost to plant a wax myrtle privacy hedge?+
The number of plants, the pot size you pick and the length of the run set the price. Text us the length of the fence line and expect a planted price back, usually within the hour during the day. Half down holds the plants and a delivery day.
Updated October 2026
Get a planted price on Wax Myrtle
Tell us what and how many. Quinten prices it from the nursery's live list and texts you back, usually within the hour during the day.
Only need the plant delivered, no planting? It is on our nursery's list at Palm & Plant Co.
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We deliver and plant across Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Naples, Estero, Bonita Springs and about an hour around.