Bayside Bonito® Southern Wax Myrtle

Light Needs

Full Sun

(At Least 6 Hours Of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

3-5 Feet

Mature Spread

3-5 Feet

Growing Zones

7 to 10

Bayside Bonito® Southern Wax Myrtle is a big, dense, native evergreen screen without the mess—because it’s a male selection, it won’t drop fruit or scatter seedlings. Myrica cerifera ‘JBG 1000’ reaches about 12 feet tall and 8 feet wide, building quick privacy with glossy green foliage that stays attractive year-round. The leaves also carry a spicy scent when brushed, which is a nice bonus along paths and patios. This selection was chosen for cleaner performance, including strong resistance to wax myrtle stem canker, so it keeps its good looks where older types can struggle. 

It’s remarkably adaptable once established, handling heat, drought, salt spray, and poor soils better than many evergreens that are used for screening. When we’re asked for a “set it and forget it” hedge for tough sites, this is one of the first shrubs we suggest. The green flowers are subtle, but they offer nectar value for bees and butterflies in season. Use Bayside Bonito® as a privacy hedge, a windbreak, or a large anchor shrub in a mixed border where you need year-round structure. It also works in rain-garden edges and waterside landscapes because wax myrtle tolerates wet periods after it’s settled in. 

Bayside Bonito® Southern Wax Myrtle Care

Grow Bayside Bonito® Southern Wax Myrtle in full sun to part sun for the densest habit. It’s tolerant of many soil types, from sandy coastal ground to heavier clay, and it performs well in acidic conditions around pH 5.0–6.5, though it adapts beyond that. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball, set the shrub so the top of the root ball sits slightly above the surrounding grade, then backfill and water to remove air pockets.

During the first year, water on a schedule rather than by guesswork—deep soakings spaced a few days apart are better than frequent splashes. After establishment, you can let rainfall do more of the work, stepping in during extended dry spells. Fertilizer is optional; if growth seems slow, apply a woody-plant fertilizer in late winter or early spring.

Pruning isn’t required, but the shrub responds well to shaping if you want a tighter hedge line. Do any cutting in late winter or early spring, and avoid heavy pruning later in the season since it blooms on older wood. Deer and rabbits typically leave it alone, which helps it stay full to the ground.

Bayside Bonito® Southern Wax Myrtle Spacing

Space plants about 8 feet apart for a screen that fills in, or widen spacing if you prefer individual specimens. For containers, this shrub is best reserved for very large planters and short-term use; start with at least a 24–30 inch wide, heavy pot to prevent tipping. For companions, combine it with magnolia, inkberry holly, and muhly grass for a native-leaning planting that handles sun, humidity, and coastal exposure.

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