Allyn Magic Lilly Pilly

Allyn Magic Lilly Pilly (Syzygium australe 'Allyn Magic') is a true dwarf lilly pilly, holding to about 1m tall and 1m wide without cutting back. It is the variety to reach for when you want the glossy native look at knee to hip height: a low border, a small hedge, or a pot by a doorway. White flowers are followed by edible berries that bring birds in close.

Why you'll love it

• Genuinely dwarf. It settles at around 1m by 1m on its own, so you are not committing to constant pruning.
• Dense and low from the start. It branches close to the ground, so a low hedge reads solid rather than showing bare stems underneath.
• Native, and the birds know it. White flowers give way to edible berries that honeyeaters and small birds work through.
• Handles heat, humidity and salt. Comfortable through a hot humid summer and tolerant enough of salt for a coastal front garden.

Where it works best

Low hedging and borders. Plant 50cm apart for a low hedge. At that spacing the plants close into a continuous band about 1m high within two seasons, ideal for edging a path or a bed.

Mass planting. Use the same 50cm spacing for a uniform block of glossy foliage, or stretch to 70cm if you want each plant to keep its mounded shape.

Pots and small gardens. A single plant in a 400mm pot works either side of an entry, and at 1m wide it fits beds too narrow for a standard lilly pilly.

Growing Allyn Magic Lilly Pilly in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the densest growth and the best berry set, though it accepts part shade with a looser habit. This is a plant for tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens: Queensland, coastal New South Wales and warmer parts of Western Australia. It takes light frost only, so cold inland districts, the tablelands and hard frosting southern gardens will damage it.

Soil. Not fussy about type, but it wants drainage and organic matter. Work compost through the bed before planting, and on heavy clay raise the area into a low mound. Mulch 75mm deep, clear of the stems.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first summer, then taper off as the roots go down. It appreciates more consistent moisture than most natives. Apply a controlled release native fertiliser in early spring and late summer.

Pruning. Barely necessary given its natural size. Tip prune once or twice a year for a formal edge, ideally after the spring flush. It reshoots readily from older wood.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in six sizes: tubes, 140mm packs of ten, 200mm packs of six, 250mm packs of three, and single 300mm and 400mm plants. Tubes and 140mm plants are the value choice for a long border, a season slower to close. The 400mm plants arrive close to mature size.

Expect a quiet two to three weeks after planting, then new growth within four to six weeks in warm weather. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• How to keep a lilly pilly healthy
• Compare the full lilly pilly range
• Browse low screening plants from 1m to 2m
• Find more plants suited to containers

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a low hedge?

Fifty centimetres apart in a single row. Because each plant only reaches about 1m wide, that spacing closes the gaps within two seasons and keeps the base of the hedge full.

Does it really stay at 1m?

Yes. This is a true dwarf selection rather than a standard lilly pilly kept small by pruning, so 1m by 1m is its natural size. That is the main reason to choose it over a larger variety.

Will it survive frost?

It tolerates light frost only. In cold inland areas, the tablelands or hard frosting southern gardens it will be damaged, so use a pot you can move under cover or pick a frost hardy hedge.