candleberry

Aromatic coastal plant

Candleberry is a North American shrub whose waxy berries were traditionally used to make candles.

The wax coating on the fruit, when boiled off and collected, produces a fragrant greenish tallow that burns cleanly.

Also called bayberry or wax myrtle: The colonists gathered candleberries each fall.

plant

bayberry

Waxy-fruited aromatic shrub

wax-myrtleBerry-producing coastal shrub
shrubSmall woody plant
evergreenRetains foliage year-round

perennial · hardy · foliage · native · coastal · thicket · hedge · ornamental · landscaping · wetland

wax

tallow

Rendered animal fat

beeswaxHoneycomb building material
taperNarrow gradually toward point
wickFuel-drawing cord

rendering · boiling · extraction · fragrant · green · aromatic · dripless · colonial · homemade · traditional

foraging

wildcrafting

Gathering uncultivated natural materials

harvestingGathering mature crops
gatheringCollection of people meeting
autumnPost-summer cooling period

seasonal · native · indigenous · colonial · traditional · ethnobotany · subsistence · handpicked · processing · drying

fruit

cluster

Gathered group nearby

waxyResembling paraffin's texture
grayNeutral achromatic hue
smallLimited in size

drupes · seeds · aromatic · wildlife · birds · songbirds · winter · persistent · ornamental · decorative

Opposites

wax/candle material source

candleberrybeeswax

Honeycomb building material

tallow · spermaceti · paraffin · animal fat · whale oil

natural vs. synthetic illumination materials

candleberryparaffin wax

Petroleum-derived waxy solid

petroleum · kerosene · mineral oil · electric light · LED

Family

berry, candle, berrying, candelabrum, candela, candleholder, candlenut, candler, chandler

Familiarity: Top 1,000,000
Profile: Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Rated G