Plum Magic Lilly Pilly

Plum Magic Lilly Pilly (Syzygium australe 'Plum Magic') is the lilly pilly for gardens with no room for a lilly pilly. This dwarf weeping selection settles at about 2.5m tall and 2m wide, so it screens a courtyard or a low fence line without becoming a wall you have to fight. The draw is the new growth: deep plum red flushes on arching stems, several times a year.

Why you'll love it

• Plum coloured new growth. Every flush comes through wine red and holds for weeks, so a screening plant gives you seasonal colour too.
• Small enough for a real garden. About 2.5m by 2m, so it screens at fence height and stops there.
• Weeping habit. The stems arch rather than standing stiff, so a row reads softer than a clipped hedge.
• Clean foliage. Bred as a psyllid resistant selection, so the soft new growth stays smooth instead of pimpling the way older lilly pillies do.
• Native and bird attracting. White summer flowers followed by edible berries the birds work through.

Where it works best

Low screening and hedging. Plant 1m apart in a single row. The canopies knit into a screen 2m to 2.5m high, the right height to block a neighbouring window.

Pots and containers. A pot 500mm across holds it at 1.5m to 2m indefinitely. A matched pair either side of a doorway makes the most of the weeping shape.

Small gardens and feature planting. A single specimen needs about 2m of width. It handles wind and salt, so an exposed coastal courtyard suits it.

Growing Plum Magic Lilly Pilly in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the strongest plum colour and the densest growth; part shade works, but the flush is muted. This is a lilly pilly for tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens. It takes light frost once established, so hard frosting southern and inland gardens want a sheltered warm position or a hardier alternative.

Soil. Not fussy about type, but it wants drainage. On heavy clay, plant on a raised mound and work compost through the bed first. Mulch 75mm deep, kept clear of the stems.

Water. Deep soak twice a week through the first summer, then reduce. A dry spell during a flush costs you the red colour.

Feeding. A controlled release native fertiliser in early spring and again in late summer. Each feed triggers a new plum flush.

Pruning. Tip prune from planting to build density, then trim lightly after each flush. It shoots from old wood, so a neglected plant can be cut back hard and will recover.

What to expect when it arrives

Plum Magic is grown in 140mm packs of ten, 200mm packs of six, 250mm packs of three, 300mm and 400mm pots, and 110L for instant height. The smaller sizes are the value choice for a long boundary, closing about a season later. The 400mm and 110L plants arrive already branched and weeping.

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

• Lilly pilly care guide: planting and pruning
• Browse the full lilly pilly range
• How to create a hedge and keep it sharp
• More plants for small gardens

Common questions

How tall will it really get?

About 2.5m tall and 2m wide left unpruned. Some listings quote 8m, but that belongs to the wild species, not this dwarf cultivar. Two light trims a year hold it from 1.5m up.

How far apart for a screen?

One metre apart in a single row. Tighter spacing does not close the gap any faster and makes watering and feeding harder.

How do I get more of the plum coloured growth?

Feed it and tip prune it. Each trim triggers a fresh flush, and a plant in full sun fed in spring and late summer will colour up three or four times a year.