Cooloola City Farm – Lillypillies
The lillypilly is plant of the month – this variety is Syzygium luehmannii Photograph: citizenj.edgeqld.org.au
Cooloola City Farm, opposite the Community Centre, on Tin Can Bay Road, is open to the public for plant sales on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 8 am-3pm, 07 54862304, ccfni09@gmail.com, www.cooloolacityfarm.org
The genus Syzygium, or commonly known as lillypillies, are native evergreens that have glossy, dark green leaves, fluffy, creamy-white flowers mostly in spring and summer, and pink, purple or red edible fruit. New leaves are dainty and pink and are decorative enough to put in a vase instead of flowers.
Lillypillies are popular for street plantings, screens and hedges, can be potted or, as they can be pruned, are suitable for topiary features.
They like an open, sunny position, but can tolerate some shade and prefer a well-drained soil. Growth will be stronger with ample water and rich soil, however, lillypillies do well in our sandy, nutrient-poor soil.
Three Syzygiums occur naturally in this area:
Syzygium australe (Brush cherry), a rainforest tree to 20m, flowering summer to autumn
Syzygium oleosum (Blue lillypilly), a tree to 12m with tasty, glossy blue/purple fruit and lastly, plant of the month:
Syzygium luehmannii (Riberry or Small-leaved lillypilly), a tree to 30m, leaves aromatic when crushed, attractive flowers and new growth and abundant red fruit. There are plenty of these in stock, so come in and check them out.
A reminder to Cooloola City Farm customers: Your rates notice from the second half of last year is still valid if you wish to collect two free trees. This offer ends on May 31. The current rates notice cannot be used at this time. If you don’t want the trees, still bring in your notice as the trees can be donated to Tin Can Bay or Rainbow Beach schools.
