Lilly Pilly Resilience

Lilly Pilly 'Resilience' (Syzygium australe 'Resilience') is the screening plant most Australian gardeners should start with. Left untrimmed it reaches about 5m tall and 3m wide, and it holds dense glossy foliage right down to ground level rather than going bare at the base. Unlike older lilly pillies it resists psyllid, so the bronze new growth stays clean without spraying. Planted a metre apart it closes into a solid green wall in two to three seasons.

Why you'll love it

• Psyllid resistance you can see. Older lilly pillies pimple and pucker once psyllid finds the soft growth. This selection resists it: not immune, but no routine spraying.
• Dense from the ground up. It branches low and holds foliage at the base, so there are no gaps at fence height.
• You choose the height. About 5m left alone, or an easy 2m to 3m hedge with two trims a year.
• Built for exposed sites. Salt tolerant, wind tolerant and comfortable in humidity, so coastal boundaries do not burn it.
• Native, bird friendly, pet safe. White flowers, then edible pink berries the birds work through. Not toxic to cats or dogs.

Where it works best

Screening and hedging. Plant 1m apart in a single row. Tighter spacing does not close the gap faster, and makes watering and feeding harder.

Windbreaks and coastal gardens. A double staggered row at 1m spacing filters wind rather than blocking it, which is what an exposed block needs.

Feature planting. Single plants shape well, so larger sizes suit a clipped ball or a matched pair at an entry.

Growing Lilly Pilly 'Resilience' in Australia

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

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first summer, then taper off. A controlled release native fertiliser in early spring and late summer keeps the colour up.

Pruning. Tip prune from planting, 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 in eleven sizes, from tube to 200L. Tube, 140mm and 200mm plants are young and single stemmed, and they are the value choice for a long boundary: a season slower to close, but quick to establish. The 250mm and 300mm pots are the usual middle ground, and the 400mm, 500mm and 25L to 200L sizes arrive already branched, carrying real height on day one.

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
• Browse the full lilly pilly range
• Compare hedging and screening plants
• Preparing a garden bed before planting

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 the screen reads as solid within two to three seasons, with no thin patch along the bottom.

How fast does it grow?

In a warm garden with water and feed, up to about a metre of height a year once the roots are away. Slower in the first year, and in cooler southern gardens.

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 furnished at the base instead of lifting into bare trunks.