Small-leaved lilly pilly

Sun

Full sun to partial shade; shelter young plants from frost and drying winds.

Water

Keep evenly moist while establishing. Established trees tolerate brief dry spells, but need deep watering during prolonged drought, especially when fruiting.

Soil

Moist, well-drained soil enriched with organic matter; slightly acidic to neutral conditions are best. Avoid waterlogged ground.

Height

Usually 25-50 ft (7.5-15 m) in gardens; potentially 100 ft (30 m) in rainforest conditions.

Spread

Usually 10-25 ft (3-7.5 m) when grown as a garden tree; narrower with regular clipping.

Flowers

Small, fluffy white flowers in branching clusters, mainly in summer; timing varies with climate.

Foliage

Evergreen. Small, glossy, opposite leaves with pointed tips; new growth is often pink, copper or red before turning green.

Growth

Moderate to fast in warm conditions with reliable 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

   8 ft (2.6 m)

3. After 2 years

   10 ft (3.2 m)

4. After 3 years

   12 ft (3.7 m)

5. After 5 years

   16 ft (4.9 m)

About 16 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 two growing seasons, allowing excess water to drain away.
• Apply organic mulch over the root zone, keeping it clear of the trunk.
• Feed lightly in spring with a balanced slow-release fertiliser; avoid heavy feeding.
• Protect young trees from frost with horticultural fleece and a sheltered planting position.
• Allow space for the mature canopy and keep fallen fruit off paths.

Pruning. Clip hedges lightly during spring and summer growth, avoiding periods of frost or extreme heat. For a fruiting tree, prune selectively after harvest rather than repeatedly shearing off flowering and fruiting shoots.

Pick plump, fully coloured pink-red riberries when they detach readily, usually from autumn into winter, although timing varies by region. Expect a useful first crop roughly 3-5 years after planting a well-grown nursery tree; seedlings can take longer. The tart, aromatic fruit is used fresh or cooked in sauces, jams and syrups.

Spring

Plant once frost risk has passed, water thoroughly and mulch; use local seasons in either hemisphere.

Spring

Apply a light feed and trim hedge growth if fruit production is not the priority.

Summer

Water deeply during dry weather and inspect new shoots for rust, scale and aphids.

Autumn

Check developing fruit regularly and begin harvesting once it is fully coloured.

Winter

Continue harvesting where fruit ripens late, and protect young plants during cold snaps.

Late winter

Check for damaged branches, but delay pruning frost-damaged growth until spring growth begins.

• Clip into a dense evergreen boundary hedge for privacy in warm gardens.
• Grow as a small-canopied garden tree with pink new growth contrasting against its mature green foliage.
• Combine with Australian rainforest shrubs and ferns in a sheltered, layered planting.
• Include in an edible landscape where fruit can be collected without falling onto paving.
• Use repeated clipped plants to give structure to formal or contemporary gardens.

Garden styles it suits: Australian native, Modern tropical, Formal, Wildlife garden, Edible landscape and Food forest.

Plant it with: Blueberry ash, Sweet pittosporum, Bird's nest fern, Mat rush, Native violet and Kangaroo vine.

Wildlife: Flowers attract bees and other insects, and birds eat the fruit. Dense foliage provides shelter and potential nesting cover.

• Myrtle rust can cause yellow-orange powdery spots and distorted new growth: avoid overhead watering, do not move infected material, and seek local advice on approved treatment.
• Scale insects and aphids can produce sticky honeydew and sooty mould: control tending ants and treat affected shoots with horticultural oil according to the label.
• Waterlogging can cause root decline: improve drainage before planting and avoid sites that remain saturated.
• Frost can scorch foliage and kill young shoots: choose a sheltered site, protect young plants and wait until spring before removing damaged growth.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses. The ripe fruit is edible, but reliable animal-safety information for the leaves, bark and seeds is limited; do not use prunings as livestock feed.

• Brush cherry (Syzygium australe)

  Usually has larger, broader leaves and larger, more rounded to oval fruit; riberry has smaller, pointed leaves and distinctly pear-shaped fruit.

• Lilly pilly (Syzygium smithii)

  Typically has larger leaves with a more noticeable wavy edge and pale pink to purple, rounded fruit rather than small red pear-shaped riberries.

• Creek lilly pilly (Syzygium oleosum)

  Crushed leaves have a strong aromatic scent, and its fruit becomes purple-blue at maturity rather than remaining pink-red.

The species name luehmannii honours Australian botanist Johann George Luehmann, while small-leaved lilly pilly refers to its relatively small foliage.

Propagation. Sow fresh seed promptly after removing the fruit flesh; seed loses viability in storage. Semi-ripe cuttings can be rooted with warmth and humidity, though success varies; use cuttings to preserve the characteristics of a selected fruiting plant.

Accepted botanical name

Syzygium luehmannii

Native range

New Guinea, New South Wales and Queensland.

Measured

Average height 2000 cm.

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