# Myrtle Berry Varieties
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Downy Myrtle
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Downy Myrtle is in the family Rhodomyrtus and is a native of Asia. It has shown a tendency to spread in warm climate zones such as Florida and grows quickly from dropped seeds. It is an evergreen shrub that may get up to 12 feet tall and has 3-inch long slender leaves. The foliage is shiny and green on the top but may be slightly furred underneath. Pink 1-inch flowers arrive in spring and yield purplish berries in summer. The fruit is often harvested and made into jam.
Crape Myrtle
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Crape myrtle is a common ornamental tree for the hotter climates in United States Department of Agriculture zones 7 to 10. The early cultivars of the tree bore flowers in bright watermelon red but they are now found in white, lavender, purple, pink and true red. The plant also comes in dwarf and shrub forms and makes an excellent potted plant. It has small veined leaves and is pest- and disease-resistant. Brightly colored berries last into winter and are a treat for birds.
Wax Myrtle
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Also known as Candleberry, wax myrtle is so called because of the blobs of resin that have a waxy consistency on the stems and leaves. The plant has soft-scented foliage that is evergreen and colored green with olive-brown undersides. The shrub has a tendency to sucker but produces a compact plant with thick foliage. Wax myrtle is a useful landscape plant in boggy to dry soils and sunny to partially shady sites. It is not tolerant of cold and can be injured or dies back when temperatures dip in winter. Wax myrtle produces silvery blue berries in fall.
Sand Myrtle
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Sand myrtle is native to the eastern part of the United States. Its genus is Leiophyllum and it is a small evergreen shrub. The plant is a slow-growing, spreading myrtle that produces quarter-inch white flowers edged with pink. Suitable for full sun or partial shade, sand myrtle prefers sandy, acidic soil with plenty of moisture. It is hardy to USDA zone 5 and turns an attractive bronze color in fall. The fruit is a nut-like berry with a dry, pinkish brown exterior.
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