GREENGOLD GARDEN CONCEPTS
CARE AND MAINTENANCE NOTES

LILLYPILLIES

Lillypillies have eye-catching colorful new growth, including pink, red, white or rust. Their fluffy flowers are attractive to nectar feeding birds: Almost all lillypillies produce fleshy, succulent fruits which. are edible and are used in making jams and jellies. They range in color from white through shades of pink, red and mauve. Birds love them.

They are being used as INDOOR PLANTS especially when young. When in pots they can certainly be brought inside while in flower.

Lillypillies have proved very successful as bonsai subjects because they respond well to root and branch pruning.

Lillypillies have the added advantage that they are considered fire-retardant and recommended for fire-prone areas.

Australia has about 52 different lillypillies in the family Myrtaceae, with botanical names

ACMENA SYZYGIUM WATERHOUSEA EUGENIA - 47 of the species are endemic.

ACMENA is a name of the goddess Venus, maybe from the Greek acmenos, full of vigor

SYZYGIUM from Greek words syzygos meaning joined together, possibly after the way the leaves are joined to the stems.

WATERHOUSEA is named for George Waterhouse, naturalist, who founded the Museum of South Australia.

EUGENIA is named after a French prince, Eugene of Savoy, 1663-1736, who developed a botanical garden near Vienna.

Because botanists have reviewed the classification of lillypillies you may be confused by the labels of nursery plants which show the earlier name. Be familiar with the four names and remember that they may be sold under the older name.

Many lillypillies used to be described in the genus Eugenia but now only one Australian species is known by this name, Eugenia reinwardtiana , a widespread species across northern Australia as well as neighboring Pacific Is lands and South East Asia.

SPECIES TO GROW IN THE SYDNEY AREA

Acmena smithii - a small tree to 10 meters -all along the East coast through Queensland to Victoria. Adapts to a wide range of soils but best in moist loam. The new foliage is shiny dark red. Small fluffy white flowers in terminal panicles. Fruits are globular, pink to purple A smaller narrow leaf form (to 4m) makes a multi-stemmed shrub useful for screens windbreaks and hedges or for tubs .

Waterhousea floribunda -a tree to 10m. Occurs from Central East Queensland to Newcastle NSW. Attractive weeping branches and glossy green narrow leaves, yellowish when new. Flowers small & cream, fruit greenish in color. Excellent for shade/shelter, with pleasing shape. Withstands full sun and some frost as long as it has plenty of water.

Syzygium franciscii - Endemic to South East Queensland and North East NSW. In the garden a tree to 15m but much larger in wild. Can be pruned to keep it small and dense. Ovate leaves are smallish, dark green, new growth brightish pink to red.. Small white fluffy flowers in clusters at ends of branchlets, fruits ovoid in mauve to red and purple-red. Adaptable to full sun and light frosts.

Syzygium australe - the "Brush Cherry" To 10m. Suits most soils. Excellent for screen and shade. Appealing red brown new growth. Four wings on the young branchlets form pockets at the nodes which help to identify the species. Flowers are white in clusters in leaf axils Fruits are elongated - pinkish red to purplish red .

Acmena hemilampra ssp. hemilampra -widespread from Northern NSW to Cape York and Papua-NG. Varies from large mountain tree to a bushy coastal shrub. Its fruits are distinctive with a round indentation at the top. It is hardy in full sun and adaptable to a variety of well-drained soils. Use indoors when young.

Syzygium paniculatum - Magenta lillypilly An endangered NSW species occurring from Bulahdelah to Jervis Bay. It was common around Botany Bay and probably the fruit sampled by Captain Cook's party in 1770. Easily grown in a variety of soils in SE Aust. Tolerates sun. Grows to 8m. Fruit is globular, pink to magenta.

Syzygium luehmannii - In cultivation 5-10m. In rainforest grows to 30m. Feature tree. Striking tree with foliage reaching ground. New growth deep pink. Flowers, fluffy cream balls so full of nectar they attract honeyeating birds, are followed byng: by red frults,often pear-shaped, which are also attractive to birds. Likes water but soil needs to be free draining. Will grow anywhere in Australia except where it is very dry or very frosty. Suitable for tubs on verandahs or patios but keep indoors only for short periods.

Syzygium wilsonii - Powderpuff lillypilly. A smaller, shrubby plant to 2-3m with pretty weeping habit and delicate red/pink new growth It comes from Queensland ld coastal rainforest but will grow as far south as Sydney if grown in filtered light and protected from frost. Produces brilliant red powderpuff flowers followed by white berries. Well worth trying!

S. wilsonii ssp crytophlebium has more erect growth. Grows from sea level to 1,500m in high rainfall areas. If grown from stock from the highlands it is hardy in cooler climates.

Syzygium oleosum (prev.coolminianum) / Blue lillypilly - to 10m. Glossy green leaves have numerous large oil / glands which give a distinctive smell when crushed and distinguish it from other lillypillies. Flower buds are reddish, globular fruits turn to a blue purple color.

OTIIER LILLYPILLIES

With the surge of interest in rainforest plants specialist nurseries now produce a large range of plants which are not fully tried under normal garden conditions but may be well worth attempting in your area. Acmena ingens, with vivid red fruits, adapts to full sun and to cooler climates and has a good pyramid shape for a feature tree. Syzygium cormiflorum with flowers and fruit sprouting from the main stem. Also S. canicortex, S. corynanthum S. crebrinerve, S. erythrocalyx, S. fibrosum, S tierneyanum

GARDEN CARE

Fertilize regularly for healthy growth and good coloured foliage using blood and bone, or slow release fertilizer (NUTRICOTE or OSMOCOTE for Natives). Mulching, a regular supply of water and good drainage encourage healthy growth.

Most are fairly free from insect pests but scale and sooty mould can be a problem. Use white oil for small infestations. If trouble is extensive spray with white oil and malathion, adding a little detergent to help to completely wet the scale. In the Sydney area, infestations of psyllids or lerps can also disfigure and retard new growth. These are difficult to treat - systemic insecticides such as ROGOR, LEBAYCID, or FOLIMAT will kill these pests, but usually the damage has been done by the time infestation is noticed. Also bear in mind that these toxic sprays may have a harmful effect on the birds attracted to the lillypillies.