Barberry vs Bayberry:
Barberry and Bayberry are both great shrubs to plant in Ocean Shores. Both prefer the cool, wet coastal climate we have, and both are strongly deer resistant. Both survive well in nutrient poor sandy soils and are considerably salt tolerant. They have similar names, thrive in similar growing conditions, and seem to be at least cousins. However, they are not closely related, even belonging to different plant families. Barberry (Family: Berberidaceae, Genus: Berberis) is frequently chosen in many of its different species for our landscaping. Bayberry (Family: Myricaceae, Genus: Myrica) is a staple of Northern, East Coast gardens that look like they could have been right here in Ocean Shores. Neither is native to the Pacific Coast, but both have enough adaptability and habitat specifications to thrive here.
Barberry is the dense, small leaved, spiny red shrub that our gardeners have already discovered. These are related to our native Mahonia (Oregon Grape,) and grow just as carefree and readily. Different species can be evergreen, semi-evergreen, or deciduous. (Read labels carefully so you are not surprised or think your deciduous plant is dying!) Most produce small yellow flowers in the spring that develop into dark barriers that attract birds. Different species grow at varying heights, which is also influenced by the light, soil, and weather each plant experiences. Most have red leaves although several species of Berberis thumbergii, (sometimes listed as Japanese Barberry) have light green or golden yellow foliage. Watch out for thorns as you prune out dead branches each year. They make a great hedge, planted closer together, and can be cut to shape in the springtime. They can also be planted singly or in groups and left to grow naturally at will.
Bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica), on the other hand, is the East Coast version of our native Wax Myrtle (Myrica californica). It is smaller, a bit more temperamental, and not nearly as competitive nor prolific. Whereas Wax Myrtle can grow into an area already supporting plant life and eventually dominate it, Bayberry does not compete well with other plants. You will have to prepare a place for your Bayberry plants or hedge, mulch and try to keep weeds away. Bayberry prefers the same conditions as Wax Myrtle so you might need to watch for and remove any Wax Myrtle seedlings.
Bayberry’s advantage over Wax Myrtle lies in its slightly bluish, semi-evergreen fragrant leaves, and in the gray berries it produces in the fall. Both contain more wax than the Myrtle but also that lovely aroma most often associated with Christmas. Treat the Bayberry just as you do the Barberry: watching out for thorns, remove dead wood yearly and prune for shape or not as you wish. Bushes will draw birds in more for shelter than food. The berry wax is overwhelming for birds and difficult for them to digest. More for you to collect for candles!
Collecting wax from the berries is not a difficult process. You will need 6 to 15 pounds of berries to produce one pound of wax. Gather the berries from October through November for the highest quality and quantity of wax. (Berries are tiny so you might want to consider mixing your final produce with twice as much bee’s wax as the Bayberry wax you end up with. This also produces a less brittle, finer quality candlewax.) Wash and air-dry the berries removing as much leaf litter and debris as possible. Measure the quantity of berries you have, and fill a dedicated canning pot (check our secondhand stores) with two inches of water over the amount of berries you have. Add the berries; bring to a boil; lower the heat and simmer 15 minutes. Keep the lid on to help retain the aroma, but watch carefully, not allowing the pot to boil over (and make a mess of your stove!) Remove from the heat and allow to cool overnight in a cool garage or refrigerator. The wax should solidify making removal easy. Reheat the wax, to consolidate the wax particles, and strain through a double layer of cheesecloth to remove any remaining debris. Allow the wax to cool for storage. When you are ready to make the candles, melt slowly and if you wish add beeswax.
Now is a great time to order both Barberry and/or Bayberry plants to be planted any time before spring. You should be able to find one-gallon pots of red Barberry plants as the spring plants begin to come into the nurseries. Last season I found and bought several from non-specialty hardware and all-purpose retail stores in King County. They are currently in my sister’s yard on the canal still in winter dormancy. Bayberry plants will need to be ordered online from East Coast nurseries. This season I ordered a hedge worth of bare-root Bayberry plants. They came in by mail last week and are currently heeled-in waiting for me to prepare a place for them, whenever it stops raining. I cannot wait for my fragrant hedge and to try distilling a little wax next winter to add to some votive candles for that homemade clean, Christmas fragrance that I’ll be able to enjoy all year!
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For questions, comments or more information about this article, the Garden by The Sea or gardening in general you can contact us at: info@gardenbytheseaoceanshores.org
This article was originally printed in The Ocean Observer, February 2020.
