Gardening Trees, Shrubs & Vines Shrubs Bayberry By Viveka Neveln Viveka Neveln Instagram Viveka Neveln is the Garden Editor at BHG and a degreed horticulturist with broad gardening expertise earned over 3+ decades of practice and study. She has more than 20 years of experience writing and editing for both print and digital media. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on February 2, 2017 Share Tweet Pin Email Bayberry Overview Description Bayberry forms a beautiful semi-evergreen shrub that tolerates either wet or dry soils. The shrub also withstands salt spray, making it a good choice for coastal landscapes. Plants gradually spread from underground suckers, eventually forming a thicket. Pruning is rarely necessary. Bayberry has long been prized for its fragrant, waxy gray berries, which can be used to make candles. Plants are either male or female; to ensure berry production, plant several shrubs in the same landscape. The berries are also attractive to a wide range of songbirds. Genus Name Myrica pensylvanica Common Name Bayberry Plant Type Herb, Shrub Light Part Sun, Sun Height 3 to 8 feet Width null to 8 feet Season Features Spring Bloom Special Features Attracts Birds, Fragrance, Low Maintenance Zones 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 Propagation Division, Layering, Seed, Stem Cuttings Problem Solvers Drought Tolerant, Slope/Erosion Control learn how to prune perfectly More Videos » Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit