Hub Cloud Lilly Pillies (also known as Australian Cherries) are a popular evergreen tree / hedge that is native to Australia and produces a reddish purple fruit.
This tree is characterised by its gorgeous thick foliage and glossy sheen making the species perfect for hedges, screening against wind and adding additional privacy for your home. Not only that, but they’re perfect for attracting birds and adding more life to your garden.
In their native rainforest setting, the Lilly Pilly tree will grow especially large, however, they can easily be adapted to a regular garden-friendly size through regular pruning. That, and there are miniature varieties available.
In this article, we’re going to tackle some of the most commonly asked questions about Lilly Pilly trees in Australia, specifically:
- Are Lilly Pilly trees fast growing?
- How big do Lilly Pilly trees grow?
- Are Lilly Pilly berries toxic?
- And how long does a Lilly Pilly tree live for?
If you’d like to learn more about this wonderful plant, read on and we’ll tell you everything you need to know…
Are Lilly Pilly Trees Fast Growing?
So, are Lilly Pilly trees fast growing? The Lilly Pilly tree is an especially fast-growing hedge, making them perfect for privacy screens and windbreakers.
The fact that they grow some quickly make them suitable for new homes that wish to establish a natural barrier as quickly as possible. Rather than waiting years for a sizable hedge to grow, Lilly Pillies can grow up to 2-metres in size every year (in the right conditions).
How Big Does a Lilly Pilly Grow?
Of course, if a Lilly Pilly tree can grow 2-metres a year, the next important question is: how big do they grow?!
An Australian native Lilly Pilly tree can grow as tall as 30-metres in its natural rainforest setting. Again, this can easily be managed through regular pruning.
Many of the Lilly Pilly gardening cultivars have been designed especially with home garden use in mind and typically reach around the 5 to 8 metre mark.
Are Lilly Pilly Berries Toxic?
Another very important question that people ask is whether or not Lilly Pilly berries are toxic. The last thing you want is to plant a fast-growing hedge, only for your children or pets to end up getting sick by eating the delicious-looking berries.
You’ll be pleased to learn that all varieties of Lilly Pilly berries are indeed edible. That said, not all of them are especially tasty.
Most Lilly Pilly berries are made into jams and chutneys. There are over 60 different species of Lilly Pilly however, so make sure you do your research if you want a fruiting hedge that will produce a berry that you will actually enjoy.
- One particular variety of Lilly Pilly: Syzygium Australe (or Creek Lilly Pilly), is renowned for having especially delicious fruits that can easily be eaten straight from the tree.
- Then there is the Syzygium Luehmannii (or Riberry Lilly Pilly), which is rather tasty, though a little tart (sour to the taste).
In addition to jams and jellies, Lilly Pilly berries can also be made into syrups for ice cream. In fact, you’ll find that many restaurants throughout Australia offer Lilly Pilly berries as part of their cuisine.
Some Lilly Pilly berries can be used to make sour and tangy sauces to be served over meats or as a salad dressing for a fuly authentic Australian flavour.
Other interesting ways to use your Lilly Pilly berries include:
- Making wines and liqueurs (Lilly Pilly gin is particularly popular).
- Making deserts such as Riberry caramel sauce, Lilly Pilly apple crumble, and candies.
When you harvest your Lilly Pilly berries, rest assured that they can easily be frozen for around 2-years. Simply slice them in half and remove the seeds (if applicable), and then keep them in the freezer until you are ready for use. Then again, when you have them growing in your garden in abundance, there really is no need.
What Is the Lifespan of a Lilly Pilly Tree?
More importantly, how long is a Lilly Pilly Tree likely to live? The lifespan of a Lilly Pilly tree is 20-years. This is an average lifespan for Lilly Pillies and it really depends on the conditions.
If you regularly prune and maintain your Lilly Pillies with great care and consideration, you’ll be able to get a lot of years out of them. The same applies with feeding them.
To get the most out of the growth of your young Lilly Pilly plants, apply either manure to your soil, or compost / certified organic fertiliser. Do this during the Spring, the Summer, and the Autumn months.
You can also enhance their growth rate (and stability) by adding small doses of OCP eco-seaweed and OCP eco-aminogro every two to four weeks during the same seasons.
When should you prune your Lilly Pilly?
In order to achieve a nice, bushy appearance for your Lilly Pilly, you need to prune its tips when it’s young. Essentially, you must consistently prune every new growth. In doing so, two new stems will be produced from where the cut was made, thickening your Lilly Pilly and giving it an excellent hedge feel to it.
This can be done at any time of the year, however, it is very important that you start while the Lilly Pilly is young.
If you want the very best results, we recommend that you hire the professionals to prune and care for your Lilly Pilly, like A B Trees.
Conclusion
To recap:
- Lilly Pillies are fast-growing (up to 2m per year).
- Lilly Pillies grow to 30m in the wild, but can easily be kept to 6-8m in height with regular pruning.
- Lilly Pilly berries are non-toxic and perfectly edible (though not all are delicious).
- A Lilly Pilly tree can live up to 20-years under the right conditions.
- Lilly Pilly trees must be pruned while they are young to create a denser bush-like hedge – and regularly throughout their life to maintain the appropriate height/shape.
