The word Acmena actually comes from the Greek, and it means bountiful or buxom, referring to the flowers and fruit produced by members of the genus. Commonly known as lillypillys, they are handsome rainforest trees native to Australia and south-east Asia.
Acmena smithii has long been a popular garden plant, most often used as an attractive, hardy screen or hedge, but there’s also a variegated form of Acmena smithii, which is not so well known.
Common name: Variegated lilly pilly
Botanical name: Acmena smithii ‘Variegated’
Description: An evergreen tree or large shrub, which has cream and green foliage with flushes of pink new growth. In summer small fluffy white flowers are followed by pink to mauve edible berries. Unpruned it will grow about 3-5m (10-15′) tall.
Best climate: Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Brisbane, tropical areas and warm sheltered parts of Adelaide.
If planted too close to paving succulent fruit can be messy and slippery
Getting started: The green form of Acmena smithii is readily available, but you may have to order Acmena smithii ‘Variegated’ from your local nursery. It retails at around $6-$8 for 150mm (6″) sized pots.