Brush cherry

Sun

Full sun to partial shade; dense growth and flowering are usually best with plenty of light.

Water

Keep the root zone evenly moist while establishing. Established plants tolerate short dry spells, but prolonged drought causes thinning and leaf drop.

Soil

Moist, well-drained soil enriched with organic matter; slightly acidic to neutral soil is ideal. Avoid waterlogged ground.

Height

30-60 ft (9-18 m) unpruned; commonly maintained at 6-15 ft (1.8-4.6 m) as a hedge

Spread

15-30 ft (4.6-9 m) unpruned

Flowers

Fluffy white flowers in spring and summer, followed by pink to red fruit.

Foliage

Evergreen. Glossy, opposite, oval to lance-shaped green leaves; new growth is often coppery, bronze or reddish.

Growth

Fast in warm conditions with adequate moisture.

Care needed

Medium

• Pollinators
• Heat tolerant
• Wildlife
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Hard

Toughness

Needs looking after

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   7 ft (2 m)

2. After 1 year

   9 ft (2.9 m)

3. After 2 years

   12 ft (3.8 m)

4. After 3 years

   15 ft (4.7 m)

5. After 5 years

   21 ft (6.4 m)

About 13 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Native to

Australia

Growth rate

Fast

• Water deeply during the first two growing seasons, allowing excess water to drain away.
• Apply a balanced slow-release fertiliser in spring at the label rate; avoid heavy feeding that produces excessive soft growth.
• Spread 2-3 in (5-8 cm) of organic mulch over the root zone, keeping it clear of the trunk.
• Water container plants whenever the surface compost begins to dry; do not leave pots standing in water.
• Protect young plants from frost and move containers into bright, frost-free shelter before cold weather.

Pruning. Trim hedges lightly in late spring and summer, keeping the base wider than the top; frequent clipping reduces flowers and fruit. For a tree, remove dead, crossing or badly placed branches after frost risk has passed, and avoid hard pruning before winter.

Spring

Plant once frost risk has passed, water thoroughly and mulch the root zone.

Spring

Feed established plants and remove frost-damaged growth once new shoots show which stems are alive.

Late spring

Check new leaves for psyllid damage and give hedges their first light trim if needed.

Summer

Water during dry spells and trim vigorous hedge growth without cutting into bare old stems unnecessarily.

Autumn

Reduce clipping so new growth can mature before cold weather; clear fallen fruit from paths.

Winter

Protect vulnerable plants from frost and water sheltered containers sparingly without letting the root ball dry out.

• Clip into a dense evergreen boundary hedge where the climate is mild.
• Train as a small-canopied tree over a lawn or courtyard, allowing room for its mature roots and crown.
• Use repeated clipped forms beside entrances or along a formal path.
• Combine with other eastern Australian rainforest plants for a layered, sheltered garden.
• Grow in a large container for a movable screen or topiary specimen.

Garden styles it suits: Australian native, Formal, Topiary garden, Urban city garden, Modern tropical and Wildlife garden.

Plant it with: Sweet viburnum, New Zealand flax, Lomandra, Dianella, Bird's nest fern and Clivia.

Wildlife: Flowers attract bees and other insects, while the fruit feeds birds. Dense foliage provides shelter and potential nesting cover, although frequent hedge clipping reduces these benefits.

• Lilly pilly psyllids cause conspicuous pimples and distorted new leaves. Choose a locally proven resistant cultivar when planting; on existing plants, remove badly affected tips and avoid excessive nitrogen feeding.
• Myrtle rust produces yellow-orange pustules and distorted young growth, especially in humid weather. Avoid overhead watering, clean pruning tools and seek local advice on approved treatment; do not move infected plants.
• Scale insects can cause sticky honeydew and black sooty mould. Control ants where present and treat affected stems with a labelled horticultural oil, avoiding hot weather.
• Waterlogged soil can lead to root rot, wilting and dieback. Improve drainage, stop frequent shallow watering and relocate plants if the site remains saturated.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats or dogs; the ripe fruit flesh is edible. Information on horse safety is limited, so do not offer leaves or hedge clippings as feed. Avoid eating the seeds, and keep fallen fruit away from small children because of the choking risk.

• Magenta lilly pilly (Syzygium paniculatum)

  Often sold under the same brush cherry name. Its fruit is usually rounder and magenta, whereas Syzygium australe commonly has elongated or pear-shaped pink-red fruit; nursery labels are not always reliable.

• Common lilly pilly (Syzygium smithii)

  Usually has noticeably wavy-edged leaves and pale pink, mauve or whitish fruit, rather than the generally deeper pink-red fruit of brush cherry.

The species name australe means southern, while brush cherry refers to its cherry-like fruit and its occurrence in Australian rainforest, historically called brush.

Propagation. Take semi-ripe cuttings in summer using clean tools and a free-draining propagation mix. Fresh seed can also be sown after removing the fruit flesh, but seedlings may differ from the parent; propagate named cultivars by cuttings.

Accepted botanical name

Syzygium australe

Native range

New South Wales and Queensland.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0) and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.