Morella californica Myrica californica (California bayberry, California wax myrtle or Pacific wax myrtle is an evergreen shrub or small tree native to the Pacific coast of North America.

It grows to 2–10 metres (6+1⁄2–33 ft) tall, and has serrated, sticky green leaves 4–13 centimetres (1+1⁄2–5 in) long and 0.7–3 cm (1⁄4–1+1⁄4 in) broad, which emit a spicy scent on warm days.

The inflorescence is arranged in a spike 0.6–3 cm long, in range of colors from green to red.

The fruit is a wrinkled purple berry 4–6.5 millimetres (1⁄8–1⁄4 in) in diameter, with a waxy coating, hence the common name wax myrtle.

This species has root nodules containing nitrogen-fixing microorganisms, allowing it to grow in relatively poor soils.