Lilly pilly Resilience

Sun

Full sun to partial shade; foliage is generally densest in good light. Shelter from cold, drying winds.

Water

Water regularly while establishing, then deeply during prolonged dry weather. Keep container plants evenly moist, but never standing in water.

Soil

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

Height

13-20 ft (4-6 m) unpruned; readily maintained lower as a hedge

Spread

7-10 ft (2-3 m)

Flowers

White, fluffy flowers in late spring and summer, followed by pink to reddish berries; frequent clipping reduces flowering.

Foliage

Evergreen. Glossy, oval green leaves with reddish-bronze young growth; dense branching makes an effective screen.

Growth

Fast in warm conditions with adequate water and nutrients.

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

   2 ft (0.6 m)

2. After 1 year

   6 ft (2 m)

3. After 2 years

   11 ft (3.3 m)

4. After 3 years

   15 ft (4.7 m)

5. After 5 years

   16 ft (5 m)

   full size

About 3 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 through the first growing season, checking the root ball rather than just the surrounding soil.
• Apply a balanced slow-release fertiliser in spring at the labelled rate.
• Spread 2-3 in (5-8 cm) of organic mulch over the root area, keeping it clear of the stems.
• Water established hedges during extended dry spells, especially beside paving or fences.
• Protect young plants from frost; move containers into bright, frost-free shelter where winters are cold.

Pruning. Tip-prune young plants during active growth to encourage branching, and clip established hedges in spring and summer, keeping the base slightly wider than the top. Avoid hard pruning just before frost or during extreme heat, and leave some shoots unclipped if flowers and fruit are wanted.

Spring

Plant once damaging frosts have passed, water thoroughly and mulch.

Spring

Feed established plants and trim frost-damaged shoots once new growth begins.

Late spring

Tip-prune or lightly clip hedges, leaving flowering shoots where berries are wanted.

Summer

Check soil moisture during hot spells and inspect new growth for pests or distorted leaves.

Early autumn

Remove fallen fruit from paths and avoid heavy pruning where early frosts occur.

Winter

Protect young plants during frost and water sheltered container plants sparingly without letting the root ball dry out.

• Clip into a dense boundary hedge for year-round privacy.
• Use as a tall green backdrop behind flowering shrubs and perennials.
• Train as a small, clear-stemmed tree in a sheltered courtyard.
• Grow in large containers to frame an entrance, allowing room for watering and regular clipping.

Garden styles it suits: Australian native, Formal, Modern tropical, Urban city garden, Modern courtyard and Green on green.

Plant it with: Lomandra, Flax lily, Native violet, Bird of paradise and Cast-iron plant.

Wildlife: Flowers attract bees and other insects, and birds eat the berries. Dense, lightly pruned plants provide shelter; frequent shearing reduces flowers and fruit.

• Pimple psyllids can cause blistered leaves, though 'Resilience' is resistant: monitor new growth, avoid unnecessary spraying and remove badly affected tips if infestations are localised.
• Scale insects can cause sticky honeydew and sooty mould: control attending ants and use a horticultural oil labelled for the pest, avoiding hot weather.
• Myrtle rust causes yellow-orange pustules and distorted young growth where the disease occurs: avoid moving infected material and follow local plant-health guidance.
• Waterlogged roots can cause yellowing, dieback and root rot: improve drainage, reduce watering and do not plant into persistently saturated soil.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats or dogs; the ripe fruit is edible to people. Reliable information for horses is limited, so do not use hedge clippings as feed. Eating large quantities of fruit or foliage may cause digestive upset.

• Common lilly pilly (Syzygium smithii)

  Usually has more noticeably wavy leaf margins and pale pink to mauve fruit. Young hedge plants can be difficult to distinguish, so check the nursery label.

• Riberry (Syzygium luehmannii)

  Has smaller, narrower leaves with long pointed tips, often on drooping branchlets, and small pear-shaped red fruit.

The species name australe means southern, referring to its Australian origin, while 'Resilience' refers to the cultivar's resistance to lilly pilly psyllids.

Propagation. Take semi-ripe cuttings during the warmer months and root them in a free-draining propagation mix with humidity and gentle warmth. Seedlings will not reliably retain the characteristics of 'Resilience'.

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.