Glasshouse Select Lilly Pilly

Glasshouse Select Lilly Pilly (Syzygium australe 'Glasshouse Select') is the one to reach for when the boundary is tall but the bed is narrow. Left untrimmed it reaches about 5m tall and only 2.5m wide, a genuinely upright shape for a lilly pilly, and most gardeners hold it at 2m to 3m as a clipped hedge. White flowers give way to edible pink berries that the birds work through, and it is not toxic to cats or dogs.

Why you'll love it

• Tall and narrow. At 5m by 2.5m it screens a two storey neighbour from a bed barely a metre deep.
• Fast to close a gap. Quick establishment and vigorous growth mean the row reads as a screen within two to three seasons.
• Takes clipping well. It responds to shaping, so it works as a formal hedge, a cone, a ball or a pleached screen.
• Native, bird friendly, pet safe. White flowers, edible berries, and no toxicity concern for cats or dogs.

Where it works best

Hedging and screening. Plant 1m apart in a single row. At that spacing the canopies knit into a solid green wall, and the narrow habit keeps the hedge from pushing out over a path or a driveway.

Topiary and shaping. Larger plants take a clipped form well. A matched pair of cones or balls at an entry holds shape with two trims a year.

Damp and coastal sites. Wet feet tolerance suits it to low, slow draining corners, and salt tolerance means a seaside boundary will not burn it.

Growing Glasshouse Select Lilly Pilly 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 only, so hard frosting inland and southern districts want a warm sheltered wall or a hardier hedge.

Soil. Not fussy about type, and unusually forgiving of damp ground, though it still appreciates compost through the bed. Mulch 75mm deep, 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 new growth coming.

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 a neglected hedge can be cut back hard.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in eight sizes, from tube to 100L. The tube, 140mm, 180mm, 200mm and 250mm 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 300mm and 400mm pots are the usual middle ground, while 100L plants arrive branched and 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. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• The complete lilly pilly care guide
• Browse the full lilly pilly range
• Compare hedging and screening plants
• 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. Closer planting does not close the screen faster and only makes watering and feeding harder.

How narrow will it actually stay?

About 2.5m if left alone, and comfortably under 1m if you trim twice a year. That narrow habit is the main reason to choose this selection over a broader lilly pilly.

Will it cope with frost?

Light frost only. In cold inland and southern gardens it needs a warm sheltered position, and young plants want protection through their first two winters.

Are the berries edible?

Yes. The pink berries are edible, tart and crisp, and often used for jam. Birds usually get to them first.