How to Grow Lilly Pilly

Lilly Pillies are part of two plant generas (plant groups) including Syzygium and Waterhousea. Acmena was another genus (plant group) of Lilly Pilly but all species have recently been renamed as Syzygium. Here are our top Lilly Pilly varieties:

Syzygium smithii cultivars, such as 'Sublime' and 'Firescreen', generally grow 1 to 3 m and taller with age. Some dwarf cultivars only grow up to 1 m. S. smithii have small leaves with colours of new growth ranging in lime-green, reds, reddy-purples, and orange tones. They have an upright habit, yellow fluffy flowers, and small, round and pink to purple Blueberry-like fruits. All S. smithii species and cultivars are Psyllid-resistant.

Syzygium australe cultivars, such as 'Big Red' and 'Bush Christmas', have large leaves with colours of new growth ranging in fresh green, pinks, reds, and bronzes. S. australe have a semi-weeping habit, yellow fluffy flowers followed by small round and elongated pink fruits. This species can be affected by Psyllids, however, there are psyllid resistant cultivars such as 'Resilience' and 'Select'.

Syzygium leuhmanii x S. wilsonii 'Cascade' has large leaves with pink new growth that ages to a peach colour. It has a weeping habit, large clusters of pink fluffy flowers followed by small round and elongated pink fruits, and are Psyllid-resistant.

Waterhousea floribunda (Weeping Lilly Pilly) can grow up to 10 m, growing taller with age. As this is a large tree roots can sometimes be invasive, so it's best to plant these trees well away from sewerage and water services. They also have narrow leaves, a semi-weeping habit, yellow fluffy flowers that are followed by small round green fruit tinged with pink. This species can be affected by Psyllids, however, when used as a feature tree the damage is less noticeable than hedge-grown Lilly Pillies.

Choose a spot in the garden that receives full sun to part shade and has soil that drains well.

Prepare the planting area well by digging in Yates Dynamic Lifter Soil Improver & Plant Fertiliser.

Dig the planting hole twice as wide and to the same depth as the root ball. Remove the plant from the container, gently tease the roots, cutting away any circled or tangled roots.

Position in hole and backfill with soil, gently firming down. Form a raised or doughnut shaped ring of soil around the outer edge of the plant's root zone. This helps keep water where it's needed.

Always water in well after planting to settle the soil around the roots and keep the soil moist for several weeks while the new plant establishes. To help reduce transplant shock, water in with Yates Dynamic Lifter Liquid.

Mulch around the base with organic mulch, like pine bark or sugar cane mulch, keeping it away from the trunk.

Feed in spring and autumn with Yates Dynamic Lifter Soil Improver & Plant Fertiliser.

Choose a pot that is at least twice the size of the selected plant.

Position in a spot in in the garden that receives full sun to part shade with protection from high winds.

Fill the pot with a quality potting mix, such as Yates Premium Potting Mix.

Remove the plant from the container, gently tease the roots, cutting away any circled or tangled roots.

Position in hole and backfill with Yates Premium Potting Mix, gently firming down.

Water in well. To help reduce transplant shock, water in with Yates Dynamic Lifter Liquid.

Mulch around the base with organic mulch, like pine bark or sugar cane mulch, keeping it away from the base of the trunk. Mulching pots is optional, but can be beneficial in hot weather.

Feed in spring and autumn with Yates Dynamic Lifter Soil Improver & Plant Fertiliser.

As rainforest natives, Lilly Pillies prefer warm climates, so thrive in tropical, subtropical, and warm zones.

They will also grow in cool temperate regions but are generally not tolerant of frosts. For areas with light-to-moderate frosts, look for cultivars of Syzygium smithii, like 'Firescreen', 'Green Screen' or 'Forest Flame'.

Even if plants are tolerant of frost, there might still be some frost damage. To protect against light frosts, spray plants with Yates Waterwise DroughtShield.

If there's been recent hot and sunny weather, and now your leaves are all looking brown, then they are sunburnt.

Deep watering, mulching, and gentle feeding will help to reduce sunburn. As well as spraying Yates Waterwise Droughtshield before a heat wave event.

If there has not been hot and sunny weather of late, and some of the leaves are starting to go brown and spreading, then it's more likely a pest or disease. See Common Problems of Lilly Pilly.

Choose a spot in full sun to part shade. Avoid windy sites, especially during establishment.

Lilly Pillies thrive in rich, well-drained soils but are adaptable to most soil types, provided drainage is good. Before planting, sprinkle Yates Dynamic Lifter Soil Improver & Plant Fertiliser over the soil and dig in well. If growing in pots, choose a suitable sized pot and fill with Yates Premium Potting Mix. Pot size depends on how tall and wide the plant grows – some dwarf varieties, like Syzygium 'Tiny Trev' only grows 0.75 m tall, so would be suited to a pot 30-40 cm wide and deep.

Once established, feed plants in spring and autumn with Yates Dynamic Lifter Soil Improver & Plant Fertiliser. This slow-release organic fertiliser is suitable for use on all natives, including Lilly Pillies.

Water regularly after planting. Once established, Lilly Pillies are fairly drought tolerant. However, they will perform better with regular watering, especially during hot, dry spells. To help conserve soil moisture and suppress weeds, spread a 5-8 cm layer of organic mulch over the soil keeping away from the base of the trunk.

A hedge is a fantastic way to set boundaries, create privacy or give structure to a garden. Lilly Pillies are ideal as they're fast growing, available in a range of different heights and with good care, will grow into a dense green screen. If you're looking for other plant options, especially for privacy in the garden, take a look at our article on Fast Hedges for Privacy.

To plant a hedge, the distance between each plant is important. If plants are too far from each other, the hedge will be sparse, but if they're planted too close they will compete for water, light and nutrients. Check the plant label, and see what the mature width is, then times it by 0.3, which is about a quarter to a third of their mature width. For example, if your Lilly Pilly grows 1 m wide, then you would plant 3-4 per metre, which is every 0.25-0.35 m apart.

Start with good quality, sharp and clean pruning tools. That way you will get the job done faster, the result will look better, and there is less chance for pests and disease to invade. Use secateurs for light pruning, shears for moderate pruning, and a power hedger for large hedges.

After planting a Lilly Pilly hedge, regularly and lightly trim the tips of the new growth. Prune during the warmer months (September to March). This will encourage dense, bushy growth – do not wait until plants reach their final height before you start to prune.

Once your Lilly Pilly hedge starts to thicken up, prune on an angle so that the top is narrower than the bottom - that way the top won't shade out the bottom causing holes with no leaves.

Generally no, but it depends on the species, variety and the situation.

Trees that only grow to a mature height of 3 m or so, their roots are unlikely to ever be an issue. However, trees that grow to a mature height of 5-10 m might be an issue if there is limited space. Always check the plant label and go for a smaller growing Lilly Pilly if you are concerned.

Lilly Pillies are water loving plants, but will only go where water is available. So if your pipes are not leaking then tree roots won't get into them.

Another way of keeping roots smaller is to prune the leaves. If the tree is kept small the roots will do the same.

Regular watering near the base of the tree can also help prevent roots from spreading out and further seeking water.

You can't stop a Lilly Pilly from fruiting, but you can slow it down. One way of preventing flowering and fruiting in plants is to use high nitrogen fertilisers, such as Yates Thrive All Purpose Soluble Plant Food. Regular pruning will also help to remove flowers and fruits.

Propagating a Lilly Pilly is easy, especially when you have clippings from pruning.

In spring, take 10 cm long semi-hardwood cuttings (stems that have partly matured) and remove all but the top few leaves.

Dip the stem ends into Yates Clonex Purple Rooting Hormone Gel and insert into small pots or trays of Yates Specialty Potting Mix Cuttings & Seeds.

Keep moist in a bright, protected spot until roots form.

Once the roots are established, they can be transplanted into slightly larger pots to mature, before planting out into the garden or pots.

To learn more about taking cuttings and propagating plants, see Growing New Plants From Hardwood Cuttings.

Some Lilly Pillies can get a pest called Psyllids, read below for info on how to get rid of them.

Psyllids are a common pest of Lilly Pillies. They're small, sap-sucking insects that cause leaves to become distorted with pimply galls or bumps on the surfaces of the leaves. Unhealthy plants are more susceptible to attack, so look after plants by watering regularly and feeding with a slow-release organic fertiliser, like Yates Dynamic Lifter Soil Improver & Plant Fertiliser. Choosing Psyllid-resistant varieties, like Syzygium 'Cascade', Syzygium 'Resilience', Syzygium 'Little Lucy' or Syzygium smithii cultivars will help avoid the problem.

If treatment is necessary, spray affected plants with Yates Advanced Ready To Use. Spray foliage thoroughly, including the undersides.

On your Lilly Pilly, if there are lumps and bumps on the underside of leaves, on stems, branches or on the trunk, then it's probably the pest known as Scale. Scale can be soft or hard, and when squished can ooze out a red or orange liquid. Read below for info on how to get rid of and prevent it.

Scale Insects can also be problematic. If sighted, treat small infestations with Yates Scale Gun. For larger plants or hedges where a concentrate is needed, use Yates Pest Oil. This product can be mixed and applied in a sprayer – a much more efficient solution when treating large areas.

If there is sticky, black and powdery substance coating the surface of your Lilly Pilly leaves, stems, branches or trunk, then it's probably Sooty Mould. Read below for info on how to get rid it.

Sooty Mould doesn't just show up by itself, it's caused by pests - like Scale, Leafhoppers, Mealy Bugs, Aphids, Whiteflies - that produce honeydew which is a clear and sticky juice. The Sooty Mould then grows on the sticky liquid, eventually covering the leaf. To control all these pests mentiooned above as well as Sooty Mould, spray plants with Yates Nature's Way Citrus & Ornamental Spray.

Silvery, speckled and sick looking leaves can be a sign of either Mites or Thrips.

Mites are very small, and you probably won't see them with the naked eye. Whereas Thrips are about 3 mm long and move about easily, generally on the underside of the leaf. Thrips also leave lots of black droppings too.

If you still aren't sure which pest it is, it doesn't matter, as the treatment is the same for both. Spray Yates Nature's Way Vegie & Herb Concentrate ensuring you are thoroughly coating all leaves including the top and underside of leaves. Spray every 5-7 days until pests have been controlled.

The leaves that have been damaged will never heal themselves, so if the plant looks unsightly, then give the plant a good prune. Avoid putting clippings into the compost, and place into the bin instead. Alternatively burn or bury.

There are some leaf-chewing pests that chew holes in and along the edges of Lilly Pilly leaves, the two most common are the Lilly Pilly Beetle, and Caterpillars. Read below for info on how to get rid of them.

The Lilly Pilly Beetle (Paropsides calypso) is a small, bright-green beetle that chews on the leaves of Syzygium species. Lilly Pilly Beetles can often be seen feeding in the evening and if the infestation is high, can defoliate or decimate trees in a matter of days. The larvae are small pale-green grubs that also feed on the leaves.

At present, there is no chemical control for these pests. Lilly Pilly Beetles and their larvae need to be manually removed and squashed. Alternatively, place a bucket of soapy water under the leaves and give the tree or branches a vigorous shake to encourage Lilly Pilly Beetles and larvae to drop into the bucket of soapy water.

A few chew leaves here and there is nothing to worry about, but if the matter worsens, spray Caterpillars directly with Yates Nature's Way Citrus & Ornamental Spray.

If there are purple spots or orange powdery spots on the new growth of your Lilly Pilly, then your plant probably has the disease known as Myrtle Rust. Read below on how to manage it.

Lilly Pillies are susceptible to Myrtle Rust. Symptoms on leaves show up as small purple spots then develop into bright yellow powdery spores.

There are fungicides to control Myrtle Rust, but most are commercial and not available to the home gardener.

The best thing to do is to keep plants healthy by watering regularly and feeding with Yates Dynamic Lifter Soil Improver & Plant Fertiliser. If signs of the disease are spotted, remove affected growth, bag, and bin it. Do not add it to the compost or green waste bin.

Possums love eating Lilly Pillies. If the damage isn't too bad then just let them feed on the plants. But if you can't tolerate the damage then spray  Yates Possum Repellent Spray - it will act as a a deterrent to help reduce possums browsing on plants.

There are a few reasons why this can happen and it's all to with watering. Read below for symptoms and treatment of overwatering and underwatering.

If the soil stays too wet leaves can fall off; leaves can yellow but all at the same time; leaves can go brown either as water-soaked spots or the tip of the leaf; leaves can look sunburnt; the trunk become weakened because the roots are rotting and dying; and the plant can suddenly die. Sitting too wet can also bring in soil diseases like Root Rot (e.g., Phytophthora).

Soil staying too wet can be caused by overwatering, flooding or long periods of heavy rain, planting in clay soils, and planting in poorly draining soils.

To fix these issues only water when the soil is starting to slightly dry out; plant in a position where there is plenty of sun and the soil never stays too wet for long; don't plant in clay soil and if you have a clay soil, plant in a raised garden bed or in a gentle sloping mound.

If you've had Root Rot in your garden before, and/or heavy or prolonged rain is expected, apply a protective spray to help to strengthen plants against infection. Provided your Lilly Pilly plants are not grown and eaten for their fruit, you can spray plants with Yates Anti-Rot Phosacid Systemic Fungicide.

If the soil stays too dry, which can happen quickly or over a long period of time, leaves can droop; leaves can become dull in colour; leaves can curl and shrivel; plants may grow slowly and poorly; and plants may die.

Soil staying too dry can be caused by a few things including underwatering, Hydrophobic Soils, poor soils, sandy soils, and hot and dry weather.

To fix these issues, never allow the soil to dry out completely; apply a wetting agent if the soil won't take in water; apply organic material and fertilisers regularly; deep water to encourage roots to grow deeper; and water in the morning of hot and dry days before the soil drys out and plants begin to suffer.