[Species Guide]Syzygium/LillY Pilly

LillY Pilly
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gocny
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[Species Guide]Syzygium/LillY Pilly

Post by gocny »

AUTHOR
Lee W.

BOTANIC NAME
Syzygium

COMMON NAME
LillY Pilly

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NOTE

BACKGROUND
This is a very common garden and park tree and hybrids are coming out faster than you can collect them.

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SUN
Sun with a bit of shade. Leaves can burn on a hot day.

TEMPERATURE
I have success in Sydney's range of 0 to 40 degrees. Cold days don't worry it but on hot days it needs afternoon shade and plenty of water!

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WATERING
Very thirsty but it tends to develop thick foliage pads making a lot of leaves to hydrate. In extreme heat even a water tray doesn't provide enough and that is why I find afternoon shade essential over 30 degrees.

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TRAINING
Easy peasy. A LillY PillY rapidly develops foliage pads and starting from a good stock plant you can develop a benchable bonsai in 12 months. It shoots back vigorously on old wood and keeping the growth under control is more necessary than wishing for it.

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The branches quickly become brittle so early wiring is essential. The bark is a bit tender so care should be taken when wiring.

As long as branches are not cracked all the way through the branch can still survive. I cracked a major branch in two places; applied sealant, bound each spot and wired and not one leaf flagged. It continued growing vigorously and developing the foliage pads.

I find the trunk slow to thicken but the branches are faster.

You can get Lilly Pillys with leaves of all sizes so it is an ideal plant for Mames to large trees.

It took wiring but quick growth means wires must be checked frequently.

FERTILISING
Native Osmocote at repotting and half strength Charlie Carp from then on.

REPOTTING
Spring or fall or most times if the tree needs it or you get a new specimen. I have had no problem bare rooting my Lilly Pillys and putting them in my gravelly open soil mix.

PROPAGATION
I don't propagate but I am sure they are easy.

PESTS OR DISEASES
Psyllids, Psyllids, Psyllids! The Lilly Pilly Psyllid (Trioza eugeniae) is a tiny native insect related to cicadas. The immature psyllids or nymphs feed inside the leaves. They settle in one spot then embed themselves in the leaf, forming a lump or pimple. This is a disfiguring problem and the last thing you want to see on your bonsai. Confidor protects the plant. Remove affected leaves and spray but spraying every few weeks is essential as the pest is rapacious and very determined.

Birds - May land on your tree's to eat the sweet fruit and snap precious branches!

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COMMENTS
Lilly Pillys are easy to grow in most styles and all sizes and they flower and fruit easily making them a delight on the bench over most of the year. There is a variety of flowers in both colour and form and the fruit can vary from cream to pink to purple to red in berries ranging from half a centimetre to 1.5 centimetres across. Consider fruit size when choosing the style but you can't go wrong with a Lilly Pilly. Also consider a summer shallow water tray.
Last edited by gocny on November 12th, 2008, 2:13 pm, edited 8 times in total.
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