Little Tom Lilly Pilly

Little Tom Lilly Pilly (Syzygium australe 'Little Tom') is the dwarf of the family, holding at about 1m tall and 1m wide without any help from the shears. It is dense from the base, tipped with bronze new growth, and it resists psyllid, so the leaves stay smooth instead of pimpling. Planted 50cm apart it closes into a low native hedge you can look over.

Why you'll love it

• It stops at knee to waist height. About 1m untrimmed, which means a low border stays low without a pruning routine built around it.
• Psyllid resistant foliage. Older lilly pillies pucker and blister once psyllid finds the soft growth. This selection shrugs it off, so no routine spraying.
• Native, bird friendly and edible. Fluffy white flowers are followed by pink to red berries that birds work through and people can eat.
• Made for exposed sites. Salt tolerant, wind tolerant and comfortable in humidity, so coastal front gardens and windy balconies suit it.

Where it works best

Low hedging and edging. Plant 50cm apart in a single row for a solid low hedge. That spacing closes the gaps within two seasons and still leaves each plant room to feed.

Mass planting. Set at 50cm to 60cm in a grid it reads as a continuous green block, useful along a driveway edge or under taller screening.

Pots and small gardens. A 400mm pot holds one plant comfortably. Matched pairs either side of a door or a run of pots along a courtyard wall are the obvious uses.

Growing Little Tom Lilly Pilly in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the densest growth and the best bronze tips. This is a plant for tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens. It takes light frost once established, so hard frosting inland and cold southern districts want a warm sheltered spot or a different hedge.

Soil. Not fussy, but it wants drainage. On heavy clay, plant on a low mound and dig compost through the bed. Mulch 75mm deep and keep it off the stems.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first summer, then taper to weekly. Feed a controlled release native fertiliser in early spring and again in late summer to keep the colour up.

Pruning. Tip prune from planting to thicken the base. One trim after the spring flush is usually all it needs. It reshoots from old wood, so a plant that has been neglected can be cut back hard and will refurnish.

What to expect when it arrives

This one is grown as tube stock. Tubes are young single plants, roughly 10cm to 15cm tall, and they are the sensible choice for a long border or a mass planting where buying advanced sizes gets expensive quickly. Expect a full season of root growth before you see much height.

Tube stock travels well because there is little top growth to damage. Plant within a few days of arrival, water in with a seaweed tonic, and expect the hedge to close in two to three seasons. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Complete lilly pilly care guide
• Browse the full lilly pilly range
• Compare hedging plants by height
• Buying tube stock for larger projects

Common questions

How far apart do I plant it for a hedge?

Fifty centimetres apart in a single row. Any tighter and the plants compete for water without closing the hedge any faster.

Will it really stay at 1m?

Left alone it settles around 1m tall and wide. One light trim a year after flowering holds it nearer 60cm to 80cm if you want a tidier border.

Are the berries edible?

Yes. The pink to red berries are edible, crisp and slightly tart, and they are popular for jams. Birds usually get to them first.