A: The site must truly have been too wet for Southern wax myrtle to have died as this is one plant which is normally able to handle occasional changes in soil moisture. However, I know of no plant able to handle flooding to the point in which the oxygen is completely removed from around the root area. I suspect this is exactly what happened to your wax myrtle. Too much water can displace the oxygen and cause the plant to suffocate. The best thing to do is redirect the moisture to another area which will allow other choices of plant material at the site. Without altering the accumulation of water I am afraid nothing will succeed. Another possibility would be to bring in more dirt and fill in the area. Either way, the area will need to be altered if you plan to put landscape plants on the site.

There are some possible choices if the site receives occasional moisture. A few wet site tolerant plants are Oleander, Euonymus, Silverthorn, White honeysuckle, River birch, Bald cypress, Black gum, Lace bark, American Elm, Pindo Palm, Needle palm, Red maple, Windmill palm, Ligustrum, Tea Olive, Cast iron plant, Tree Sparkleberry, and Oakleaf hydrangea.

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