Myrica sp. (Bayberry): Ecology
	Habitat: Some bayberries tolerate dry, sterile, sandy, soils; others thrive in acid bogs. These adaptable plants are often used for erosion control to hold the soil and enrich it by fixing nitrogen through nodules on the roots. Diseases: Pests and diseases are not problematic in Iowa, although the southern bayberry (M. cerifera) has become susceptible to leaf anthracnose in recent years. A leaf distortion disease caused by an insect mite has also been reported in Florida.	Distribution: This genus is widely distributed in temperate and warm climates. In the US, the Pacific bayberry (M. californica) occurs only in California; the odorless bayberry (M. indorata) in the Gulf coastal area; and the southern bayberry (M. cerifera), the evergreen bayberry (M. heterophylla), and the northern bayberry (M. pensylvanica) are all widespread along the coastal plain of the eastern and southeastern US. The northern bayberry (M. pensylvanica) grows further north than all other native species.