Lilly Pilly

Lilly Pilly 'Aussie Compact' (Syzygium australe 'Aussie Compact') is the narrow lilly pilly for gardens that have length but no width. Left alone it reaches about 3m tall and only 1.5m across, and clipped it holds easily at 1m to 2m, so it screens a side passage where a standard lilly pilly would push into the path. It is fast growing, evergreen and dense from the base.

Why you'll love it

• Narrow by nature. One and a half metres of width untrimmed is what makes this variety useful. A 600mm bed is enough for it.
• You choose the height. About 3m if you let it run, or a clipped 1m to 2m hedge with two trims a year. It shapes readily for topiary.
• Fast growing cover. It closes a gap quickly, which matters when the reason you are planting is a neighbouring window.
• Coastal and humid gardens suit it. Salt tolerant, humidity tolerant and comfortable with wet feet.
• Birds and berries. Cream white brushes are followed by edible pink to red berries, tart but usable in jams.

Where it works best

Narrow screening and privacy. Plant 80cm apart in a single row, tighter than a full sized lilly pilly needs, which suits this variety because the canopies are slim.

Formal hedging and topiary. It takes the shears well and reshoots from old wood, so it holds a crisp face. Clipped at 1.5m it makes a garden divider rather than a boundary wall.

Pots and small gardens. A pot 500mm or wider holds it at around 2m long term, and a matched pair suits an entry.

Growing Lilly Pilly Aussie Compact in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the densest growth, part shade a looser result. This is a plant for tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens. It takes light frost only, so cold inland districts and the tablelands want a frost hardy hedge instead.

Soil. Not fussy about type, and it tolerates ground that stays damp after rain, unusual in a hedging plant. Work compost through the bed and mulch 75mm deep, clear of the stems.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first summer, then taper off. A controlled release native fertiliser in early spring and again in late summer keeps growth coming. Hedges are hungrier than single plants.

Pruning. Tip prune from the day you plant, which builds density low down. After that, trim once after the spring flush and again in late summer. Psyllid can still blister soft new growth, so cut affected tips off.

What to expect when it arrives

This variety is grown in tube stock. Tubes are young single stemmed plants, well under knee height, and for a long boundary run they are the sensible buy: low cost per plant, and small lilly pillies catch up fast. If you want instant screening, this is not the size.

Tubes travel well because there is little top growth to bruise in transit. Plant them promptly, water in, and tip prune straight away. Expect new growth within four to six weeks in warm weather, and a closed hedge in two to three seasons. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery, and every plant carries 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
• Lilly Pilly 'Resilience', a taller psyllid resistant screen
• Browse hedging and screening plants

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a hedge?

Eighty centimetres apart in a single row. The narrow canopy means tighter spacing than a standard lilly pilly, and at 80cm the screen closes evenly from the ground up.

How narrow will it really stay?

About 1.5m wide untrimmed. A light trim on the faces twice a year holds it closer to 700mm, which is what makes it work in a side passage.

Can I keep it at 1.5m tall?

Yes. Two trims a year hold it between 1m and 2m, and because it reshoots from old wood it stays furnished at the base rather than lifting into bare stems.