VALUE AND USE
SPECIES: Myrica cerifera | Southern Bayberry 



WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE : 
A consistent contributor to the available browse biomass in southeastern
forests, southern bayberry is occasionally eaten by cattle [7].
Southern bayberry frequently invades rangeland and decreases the
production of more palatable forage [45].  Many birds eat southern
bayberry fruit, including the northern bobwhite quail and the wild
turkey [15].  The seeds are important winter food for Carolina wrens and
tree sparrows [17].


PALATABILITY : 
Southern bayberry is unpalatable to white-tailed deer in eastern Texas
[24,25].  Its palatability to cattle is unreported.


NUTRITIONAL VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


COVER VALUE : 
Diffuse southern bayberry growth provides some cover for northern
bobwhite quail, although unrestricted growth produces unusable habitat
[21].


VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES : 
Southern bayberry's usefullness for disturbed site rehabilitation is
unknown.  Useful attributes include a moderate tolerance of salt-spray
[34] and an ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen at a rate that exeeds
that of legumes [9].

Wild southern bayberry seeds can be harvested by hand or shaken onto a
canvas.  Seed processing requires removal of the waxy coat by mechanical
agitation or rubbing over a dry screen.  Before sowing, the seeds
require stratification at 34 to 40 degrees F (1-4 deg C) for 90 days.
The seeds should be drilled into rows 8 to 12 inches (20-30 cm) apart
and covered with 0.25 inch (0.8 cm) of firmed soil.  Fall plantings
should be mulched.  Southern bayberry yields approximately 84,000
cleaned seeds per pound (184,000/kg) [20].


OTHER USES AND VALUES : 
Southern bayberry is the source of wax used in making bayberry candles.
Boiling removes the wax from the fruit.  The genus name comes from the
Greek "myrike", meaning tamarisk or some other fragrant plant.  The
specific epithet, cerifera, means "wax-bearing" [20,41].

Southern bayberry was first cultivated in 1699 for medicinal purposes.
Its leaves, bark, and fruit yield pharmaceutical chemicals [20].

Southern bayberry is a popular ornamental because it grows quickly,
responds well to pruning, and is heavily clothed in attractive evergreen
foliage [20,41].


MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
Southern bayberry is an understory pest on southern pine plantations.
It competes with pine seedlings and contribute to an accumulation of
understory fuels which increases the potential for damaging wildfires
[27,28].  Pearson and others [36] believe that the presence of southern
bayberry on grazed longleaf pine plantations may have eased grazing
pressure on the pine seedlings.

A 20 percent Garlon 4, 10 percent Cide-kick (a penetrant), 70 percent
diesel-oil herbicide mixture can be used for southern bayberry control.
Basal applications should be made in February, using the "streamline"
technique [32].

Tests of burning, chopping, and blading methods for southern bayberry
control found that southern bayberry can return to pretreatment levels
within 3 years [43].

Related categories for Species: Myrica cerifera | Southern Bayberry