Cheetah Lilly Pilly

Cheetah Lilly Pilly (Syzygium 'Cheetah') is the screening plant for a boundary with no width to spare. Left untrimmed it forms a slim column about 3m tall and only 1.5m across, and it clips to any lower height. New growth flushes bright bronze, and this selection resists psyllid, so the soft tips stay clean without spraying.

Why you'll love it

• Narrow by nature. At around 1.5m wide it covers a fence line without pushing out into the garden bed beside it.
• Psyllid resistance you can see. Older lilly pillies pimple and pucker once psyllid finds the new growth. This one resists it, so there is no routine spraying.
• Bronze flushes through the year. Each cycle of new growth comes through coppery bronze before hardening to deep green.
• Native, fast and bird friendly. Cream flowers are followed by edible berries the birds work through, and growth is quick once it establishes.
• Suited to exposed sites. Salt tolerant, wind tolerant and comfortable in humidity, so coastal boundaries and warm humid gardens both suit it.

Where it works best

Hedging and screening. Plant 1m apart in a single row. Closer spacing does not close the gap any faster, and it makes watering and feeding harder.

Topiary and shaping. It takes the shears well and reshoots readily, so it holds a clipped column, a ball or a pair of standards at an entry.

Pots and courtyards. The upright habit suits a large container by a doorway. Expect nearer 2m in a pot than the 3m it reaches in the ground.

Growing Cheetah Lilly Pilly in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the densest growth, and part shade works though the screen stays looser. This is a plant for tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens. It takes light frost once established, so hard frosting inland districts and cold southern gardens want a hardier hedge.

Soil. Not fussy about type, but it wants drainage. On heavy clay, plant on a raised mound and work compost through the bed. Mulch 75mm deep, kept clear of the stems.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first summer, then taper off as the roots go down. A controlled release native fertiliser in early spring and late summer keeps growth even.

Pruning. Tip prune from planting, then trim after the spring flush and again in late summer. It shoots from old wood, so a hedge left too long can be cut back hard and will refurnish.

What to expect when it arrives

This one is grown as tube stock. Plants are young and single stemmed, usually well under knee height, which makes them the sensible choice for a long boundary where advanced stock gets expensive quickly.

Tubes travel well packed upright, and are delivered Australia wide with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Expect a quiet few weeks after planting while the roots move out, then new growth within about six weeks in warm weather. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• How to care for a lilly pilly hedge
• Compare the full lilly pilly range
• Other screening plants in the 2m to 4m range
• Plants that take clipping and shaping

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a hedge?

One metre apart in a single row. At that spacing the canopies meet and read as solid within two to three seasons, with room for each root system.

Can I keep it lower than 3m?

Yes. Two trims a year hold it anywhere from about 1.5m upwards, and it stays furnished at the base rather than lifting into bare stems.

Will it handle a coastal block?

It is salt and wind tolerant, so coastal gardens suit it. Give young plants some shelter through their first year while the roots anchor.

Are the berries edible?

The cream flowers are followed by edible berries, tart rather than sweet. Most people leave them to the birds, though they make a reasonable jam.