Shady Lilly Pilly: Syzygium wilsonii

Feature shrub, Hedge, Screening plants, Shade tolerant, Small garden, Small tree, Tropical garden

There are so many Lilly Pillys around, different cultivars, that apparently grow faster, thicker, thinner, redder and so on, they are used for hedging everywhere (which is great, far better than Murraya) and can be a little over done. This one is Syzygium wilsonii and it is amazing for a few reasons, firstly it has the most stunning pink new growth, big fat fleshy leaves that droop down and look very exotic and are showy enough to brighten up a dark corner.

Secondly it will grow in deep shade and still put out amazing bright pink powder puff flowers, and last but not least it has a wonderful weeping habit making it a perfect feature tree or shrub OR a great height for fence screening as seen below.

This one was so weeping it was spilling over the raised bed it was planted in, they can be shaped to have a trunk and look more like a tree and will also grow in full sun if water is adequate.

Posted

28/10/2013

Feature shrub, Hedge, Screening plants, Shade tolerant, Small garden, Small tree, Tropical garden

Kath Gadd

Tags:

clay soils, pink flowers, rainforest species, Syzygium wilsonii, weeping habit

Comments

8 responses to “Shady Lilly Pilly: Syzygium wilsonii”

TONY HENDERSON

31/07/2020

Hello. Great little write up on the shady lilly pilly. Just wondering if those lovely little flowers might drop needles everywhere when the wind blows ? Thanks

Reply
1. Kath Gadd
  
  31/07/2020
  
  Hi Tony,
  
  If you mean the stamens on the Lilly pilly flower? then yes, these fluffy flowers will drop at some point…
  
  Best,
  
  Kath
  
  Reply
Dennis Foote

07/02/2021

Do they fruit,and if so,is the fruit edible

Reply
1. Kath Gadd
  
  25/02/2021
  
  Hi Dennis,
  
  Yes they do fruit but the fruits are white rather than the deep pinks we think of in most Lilly Pilly’s. I am not sure about S. wilsonii’s edibility. Several online sources say that they can be eaten but that they are quite sour raw. If you want to give them a go I would try cooking/stewing them with some sugar first perhaps.
  
  Let me know how you go,
  Kath
  
  Reply
Ross

07/01/2024

Would it provide shade over a dine-at table placed close to its trunk? If not would another type of lilli pilli do so?

Reply
1. Kath Gadd
  
  24/01/2024
  
  Hi Ross,
  The Syzygium wilsonii does not like full sun, so would not be a good choice to provide shade, perhaps look at another Lilly Pilly, if you have one in mind let me know.
  Thanks,
  Kath
  
  Reply
Grazyna Ogrodzka-Wozniak

19/04/2024

Hello,
Is the Syzygium Wilsonii good for the hedging in Perth WA?
Thanks,
Grazyna

Reply
1. Kath Gadd
  
  29/04/2024
  
  Hi Grazyna,
  No this one would not be good for Perth, it is a rain forest plant, that needs a lot of moisture. Its also not a very dense plant.
  Thanks,
  Kath
  
  Reply