Lilly Pilly Northern Select

Lilly Pilly 'Northern Select' (Syzygium australe 'Northern Select') is a psyllid resistant screening plant chosen for warm, humid and coastal gardens where older lilly pillies struggle. Left to grow it reaches about 4.5m tall and 2.5m wide, holding dense glossy foliage from the ground up. It also clips better than most, which suits topiary and formal shapes. Planted a metre apart it closes into a clean green wall in two to three seasons.

Why you'll love it

• Psyllid resistant new growth. The soft bronze flush stays smooth instead of pimpling, so the hedge stays clean without spraying.
• Slimmer than most. At around 2.5m wide it needs less depth than a standard lilly pilly, which counts along a fence line.
• It takes wet feet. Unusually for a hedging plant, it tolerates soil that stays damp, so low spots and heavy ground work.
• Made for clipping. Small leaves and dense branching shape cleanly into balls, cones and formal hedges.
• Native, bird friendly, pet safe. Cream and white flowers, then edible berries. Not toxic to cats or dogs.

Where it works best

Screening and hedging. Plant 1m apart in a single row. Planting tighter costs more, closes no quicker, and makes feeding harder.

Topiary and shaped specimens. Larger pot sizes suit clipped balls, standards and matched pairs at an entry. Shape early and trim little and often.

Coastal and damp gardens. Salt and humidity tolerance suit beachside boundaries, and its tolerance of wet feet makes it one of the few good screens for a low, damp block.

Growing Lilly Pilly 'Northern Select' in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the densest growth and the best colour on the new flush; part shade works but the screen stays looser. This is a plant for tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens, and it takes light frost only, so cold inland and hard frosting southern gardens want a hardier hedge.

Soil. Adaptable, and more forgiving of damp ground than most lilly pillies. Enrich the bed with compost and mulch 75mm deep, clear of the stems.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first summer, then taper to weekly. A controlled release native fertiliser in early spring and late summer keeps the foliage glossy and growth even.

Pruning. Tip prune from planting, because early trimming is what builds density at the base. Then trim after the spring flush and again in late summer. It reshoots from old wood, so a neglected hedge can be cut back hard.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown from tube stock and 140mm through 180mm, 200mm, 250mm and 300mm pots and multipacks, up to 400mm and the 25L to 200L advanced sizes. Tube stock and small multipacks suit a long boundary: a season slower to close, but quick to establish and a fraction of the freight. The 25L and above arrive already branched.

Plants are packed to travel upright and delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Expect a quiet fortnight after planting, then new growth within four to six weeks in warm weather. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• How to plant and maintain a lilly pilly hedge
• Compare the full lilly pilly range
• Browse hedging and screening plants
• See more Australian natives

Common questions

How is it different from other psyllid resistant lilly pillies?

Two things: it is slightly narrower at about 2.5m, and it tolerates damp soil that other selections dislike. Its fine dense branching also suits clipped work.

Can I keep it at 2m?

Yes. Two trims a year hold it at 2m to 3m, and because it shoots from old wood it stays dense at the bottom instead of lifting into bare trunks.

Are the berries edible?

Yes. The small berries that follow flowering are edible and mildly tart, and popular for jams. Birds usually get to them first.