EMILY de CAMP HERBARIUM

COMMON NAME: Common Bayberry
OTHER COMMON NAME(S): All-American Fever Treatment, Candleberry
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Myrica pensylvanica
FAMILY: Myricaceae
COMMUNITY: Secondary Dune
STATUS: Native
LIFESPAN: Perennial
HEIGHT: Three to twelve feet
FLOWERING TIME: Early May-June
FRUITING TIME: Early July-late August-persist in winter
DISTRIBUTION: Coastal Plains, Canada to North Carolina
IDENTIFYING CHARACTERISTICS: Bushy, aromatic shrub with gray bark ~ leathery leaves ~ deciduous leaves ~ silvery gray ~ waxy fruit

GENERAL INFORMATION: Found in dry and low-nutrient soils along the Atlantic coast and the Great Lakes, Common Bayberry is truly a multi purpose plant. The fruits are an important food source for a few species of birds. They are also the source of wax for bayberry candles that were used by the colonists. Harvesting the tiny fruits is a tedious, time-consuming task with only a minimal yield. Five gallons of berries are required to produce one candle! The water used to boil the berries and seperate the wax has been used to create a colorfast blue dye. Leftover wax would be sewn into a cloth bag then rubbed over a hot iron to make it glide more easily. The thin layer of wax actually protects the fruits from desiccation, or drying out, due to salt spray which is a constant threat on a barrier island.
Bayberry bark, roots, and leaves were used as tonics, stimulants and astringents as well as a treatment for colds, coughs, and inflammation. It’s nickname was the “All-American Fever Treatment”. Bayberry leaves have culinary uses similar to tropical bay leaves, though they impart a different flavor.

Please note: While harvesting wild berries/fruit is permitted at Island Beach State Park, visitors must adhere to park regulations at all times and must not damage vegetation or go off designated trails. This information is presented for educational purposes only.ark. New Jersey, 08752.