Pinnacle Lilly Pilly

Pinnacle Lilly Pilly (Syzygium australe 'Pinnacle') is the answer to a narrow boundary. It grows to about 5m tall but holds to roughly 1.2m wide on its own, so it screens a two storey neighbour from a bed barely wider than a footpath. That columnar habit is natural rather than clipped, which buys a tall green wall for a fraction of the pruning a conventional hedge demands.

Why you'll love it

• Tall without the width. Roughly 5m by 1.2m. Along a side fence with a metre of bed, little else gives that much height and stays put.
• It keeps its shape by itself. Growth is naturally upright, so one tidy up a year is enough. Skip a season and it stays narrow rather than sprawling.
• Built for exposed sites. Salt tolerant, wind tolerant and comfortable in humidity, which suits beachside boundaries and windy corners.
• Native, fast, and good for birds. Fluffy white flowers, then edible berries that draw honeyeaters. A quick grower once established, so a young planting starts working in seasons rather than years.

Where it works best

Screening, privacy and hedging. Plant 80cm apart in a single row. That tight spacing works precisely because each plant stays slim, and the row closes into a continuous column you can hold anywhere from 2m upward. Trim after the main growth flush to keep the face flat and dense.

Small gardens, pots and balconies. Its narrow footprint makes it one of the few genuine screening plants for a courtyard. In a pot 500mm or wider it settles lower than 5m.

Growing Pinnacle Lilly Pilly in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the densest column; part shade works but the screen loosens. This is a plant for tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens. It takes light frost only, so cold inland districts, the tablelands and hard frosting southern gardens want a frost hardy screen instead.

Soil. Adaptable, but drainage matters more than fertility. On heavy clay, plant on a raised mound. Mulch 75mm deep, kept back off the stems.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first summer, then taper. Plants set this close compete for water, so a dripline pays for itself. Feed a controlled release native fertiliser in early spring and late summer.

Pruning. Tip prune from planting to thicken the base, then trim once or twice a year to hold your height. Like all lilly pillies, check soft new growth for psyllid, the sap sucker that pimples the leaves, and treat early.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in four sizes. Tubes are single stemmed and the value option for a long run, though they take an extra season to close. The 140mm pack of ten and 200mm pack of six are sized for exactly this job, and individual 300mm plants suit a shorter run.

Young plants arrive slim and upright, which is the habit doing what it should rather than a weak plant. Expect a quiet fortnight, then new growth within four to six weeks. Plants are packed to travel upright and delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• How to plant and maintain a lilly pilly screen
• Compare the full lilly pilly range
• Browse other tall and narrow screening plants
• See all hedging and screening options

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it?

80cm apart in a single row. Because each plant only reaches about 1.2m wide, that spacing gives a solid screen without the plants fighting for light at the base.

Will it really stay narrow without pruning?

Largely, yes. The columnar habit is natural, so an unpruned plant widens slowly rather than bushing out. A light annual trim keeps the face crisp, but it is maintenance you choose rather than owe.

Can I keep it shorter than 5m?

Easily. Trimming the leader at your chosen height holds it there, and because it reshoots readily the top thickens instead of going bare.