Garden Lights Lilly Pilly

Garden Lights Lilly Pilly (Syzygium australe 'Garden Lights') is the lilly pilly for small gardens. It grows 1m to 2m high and 0.8m to 1m wide over five or six years, holds a dense, compact shape and pushes out intensely red new growth through winter. It is a psyllid resistant variety, so the leaves stay smooth rather than bumpy.

Why you'll love it

• Red new growth in winter. The new shoots come through intensely red while most gardens are quiet, and the best colour display comes from a full sun position.
• Compact by nature. At 1m to 2m high and under 1m wide it suits courtyards, front gardens and containers without constant cutting back.
• Psyllid resistant. It resists the psyllid insect that distorts the leaves of older lilly pillies, so the foliage stays clean.
• Formal or native. It works as a low hedge or topiary feature in a formal garden, and sits just as happily in a native planting.
• Good for wildlife. It attracts native fauna, which makes it more than a clipped green shape.

Where it works best

Low hedges. Plant 60cm apart in a single row. The plants meet in time and clip into a neat low line that reads as formal beside a path or entry.

Topiary and formal gardens. The dense, compact growth suits clipped balls and low shapes, and the red winter tips add colour to a green scheme.

Pots and containers. It is well suited to container planting, so a large pot on a patio or at the front door can take one plant.

Growing Garden Lights Lilly Pilly in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to part shade, with the best red colour in full sun. It tolerates light frost and dry conditions once established, which suits subtropical, warm temperate and Mediterranean gardens. In districts with hard frosts, choose a sheltered spot or a different plant.

Soil. Free draining soil that holds a little moisture suits it. Mulch after planting to keep the roots cool and the soil evenly damp.

Water and feed. Mulch and water regularly until the plant is established, usually around 12 weeks. After that it copes with dry spells. Apply a native slow release fertiliser during spring.

Pruning. Tip prune young plants for maximum bushiness, pinching or snipping the growing tips so the plant branches. Once it is established, a light trim once or twice a year holds the shape and brings a fresh flush of new growth.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Garden Lights Lilly Pilly as tube stock, a young plant in an 80mm deep tube that establishes quickly. It arrives small, and as this is a compact variety it builds up steadily rather than racing, so tip prune it early and mulch the bed.

Tube stock comes from our grower, who does not always have it. When there is none, the tube shows as sold out on this page, and the notify button emails you the day it is back.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse all lilly pillies
• Compare the best hedging plants
• Plants for topiary and shaping
• Lilly pilly care guide: choosing, planting and pruning

Common questions

How far apart should I plant a Garden Lights hedge?

Sixty centimetres apart in a single row gives a continuous low hedge, because the mature width is 0.8m to 1m. Wider spacing keeps each plant as an individual shape and takes longer to join up.

Will it grow in a pot?

Yes, it suits container planting. Use a quality potting mix and a pot with drainage holes, water regularly, and feed with a native slow release fertiliser in spring.

Does it get psyllids?

It is a psyllid resistant variety, so the bumpy leaf damage common on older lilly pillies is much less of a worry.