Aussie Southern Lilly Pilly

Aussie Southern Lilly Pilly (Syzygium australe 'Aussie Southern') is the one to plant when the screen has to be tall but the bed is narrow. Left untrimmed it reaches about 4.5m tall and only 2m wide, so it covers an upstairs window from a strip barely wider than a wheelbarrow. It grows fast, holds glossy foliage from the ground up, and the bronze new growth carries colour through the warm months.

Why you'll love it

• Tall and genuinely narrow. Roughly 4.5m by 2m untrimmed. Most screening lilly pillies want three metres of width, and this one does not.
• Fast to close. A boundary planted from 200mm stock reads as a screen within two to three seasons in warm conditions.
• You set the height. Commonly held at 2m to 3m as a clipped hedge with two trims a year, or left to run to full height.
• Birds, edible fruit, and safe around pets. Cream flowers give way to edible berries the birds work through, and the plant is not toxic to cats or dogs.

Where it works best

Narrow screening and hedging. Plant 75cm apart for a dense screen. That tight spacing works because the plant is narrow, giving a solid green wall without the bulk of a standard lilly pilly.

Side boundaries, pools and pots. A 2m mature width fits the strip between a fence and a path, and the foliage takes coastal salt and wind without burning. A container 500mm or wider holds it at about 2m.

Growing Aussie Southern Lilly Pilly in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the densest screen; part shade works but stays looser. This is a plant for tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens. It handles light frost only, so cold inland districts and hard frosting southern gardens should choose a frost hardy screen.

Soil. Not fussy about type as long as it drains. On heavy clay, plant on a raised mound and work compost through the whole bed rather than just the hole. Mulch 75mm deep, clear of the stems.

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

Pruning. Tip prune from planting to build density low down, then trim after the spring flush and again in late summer. It reshoots from old wood, so an overgrown hedge can be cut back hard. If psyllid pimples show on soft new growth, clipping the tips off is the whole treatment.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in five sizes: tube stock, 140mm in packs of ten, 200mm in packs of six, 250mm in packs of three and single 300mm pots, with the 250mm on backorder at times. Tubes and 140mm plants are young and single stemmed, the value choice for a long boundary, while the 300mm plants arrive branched and carry useful height on day one.

Plants are packed to travel upright, and a little leaf drop in transit is normal. Expect a quiet fortnight after planting, then new growth within four to six weeks in warm weather. They are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95, and our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• The complete lilly pilly care guide
• Compare every lilly pilly variety we grow
• Browse hedging and screening plants
• How to trim a hedge and keep it looking sharp

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a screen?

Seventy five centimetres apart in a single row. Because the plant is naturally narrow, that spacing closes into a continuous wall without crowding the roots or leaving a thin patch along the bottom.

How narrow does it actually stay?

About 2m wide at full height if you never touch it, and closer to 1m if you clip the sides once or twice a year.

Will it survive frost?

Light frost only. Young plants in a marginal district need a sheltered warm wall for their first two winters, and hard frosting areas want a frost hardy screen instead.