Search Results for: lilly pilly

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Don’s Expert Answers: Please can you help me to identify these little flying insects and how to treat them. They are stripping my flowering plum, roses, lilly pilly

...stripping my flowering plum, roses, lilly pilly Type of Plant (if known): Lilly Pilly, roses, flowering plum Symptoms of Plant Illness (please try NOT to diagnose your problems yourself): Shrivelled leaves overnight sucked dry Soil Type (e.g. sandy, clay or loam) OR Potting Mix Type: N/a How often do you water the plant: N/a How many hours of sunlight does the plant get each day: N/a How long since you planted it: 5 years Have you fertilised? If... read more

Trimming a Lilly Pilly

...do. Don demonstrated the necessary pruning techniques using a cone-shaped lilly pilly (Syzygium australe ‘Elite’) that was looking a bit scruffy. Don’s tips Use sharp secateurs, shears (wavy edge shears are good on small foliage) or electric trimmers. Trim the new growth back to within a few centimetres of its origin. Do this by finding the line of the previous trimming (a line of darker foliage) and using it as your guide. Use a string line as a... read more

Lilly Pilly Jelly

...have. Ingredients lilly pilly fruit water sugar lemon juice Method 1. Put lilly pilly fruit into a preserving pan or heavy saucepan with enough water to just come to the top of the fruit but not cover it. Boil rapidly till the fruit is soft. 2. Strain through a clean cloth (eg muslin) and allow all the liquid to run through. Do not press the fruit as this may make the jelly cloudy. 3. Measure the liquid and allow a cup of sugar for each cup of li... read more

Don’s Expert Answers: Lilly pilly cmas bush dying near pool

...f problem: Lilly pilly cmas bush dying near pool Type of Plant (if known): Lilly pilly xmas bush or bush xmas Symptoms of Plant Illness (please try NOT to diagnose your problems yourself): Leaves going brown Soil Type (e.g. sandy, clay or loam) OR Potting Mix Type: Clay How often do you water the plant: 1 per week How many hours of sunlight does the plant get each day: 3-4 How long since you planted it: 4 months Have you fertilised? If so, with wh... read more

Don’s Expert Answers: Growing lilly pillys near sewage pipe

...ilable:  Other Comments:  I have recently purchased 5 acmena smithii minor lilly pilly’s to plant along my 6m back border. My Neighbour’s garden is below the height of my garden by about 2 metres and I believe that there is a sewage pipe along the back wall, below where I intend planting my hedge. Do you think there will be issues with the root system getting into the sewage pipe? If so, do you think I could get a 3m+ high hedge if I create a long... read more

Don’s Expert Answers: Grafting Lilly Pillys

...of problem: Grafting Lilly Pillys Type of Plant (if known): Bush Christmas Lilly Pilly Symptoms of Plant Illness (please try NOT to diagnose your problems yourself): Non Soil Type (e.g. sandy, clay or loam) OR Potting Mix Type: Sandy How often do you water the plant: Summer – everyday. Winter when soil dries out How many hours of sunlight does the plant get each day: Morning sun, midday green shade cloth. How long since you planted it: 3 years Hav... read more

Don’s Expert Answers: We have 6 Backyard Blitz Lilly Pillys where the new growth on top is being eaten by a small green catapiller

...that name for a plant. There is a plant Syzygium paniculatum ‘Backyard Bliss’ where the people are improperly trying to trade off on our registered name. This species of lillypilly is prone to insect attack and usually grows way too big for domestic gardens. We do not recommend it. Don... read more

Market Day

.... Lilly pillies Don was very interested to see many different varieties of lilly pilly for sale on market day. Over 20 years ago when he first went to America he saw lilly pillies used as hedges, and at Disneyland they were even shaped into topiary figures of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck! The Americans called the plants Burbank Laurels, after the Los Angeles suburb. However, the lilly pilly was largely ignored in its native Australia, and for year... read more

Don’s Expert Answers: Ant nests at base of Lilly Pillies

...e of problem: Ant nests at base of Lilly Pillies Type of Plant (if known): Lilly Pilly Cascade Symptoms of Plant Illness (please try NOT to diagnose your problems yourself): Ant nests at base of each plant Soil Type (e.g. sandy, clay or loam) OR Potting Mix Type: Clay mulched How often do you water the plant: Fortnightly How many hours of sunlight does the plant get each day: Half day summer, no sun in winter How long since you planted it: 3 years... read more

Don’s Expert Answers: LILLY PILLIES DROPPING LOWER LEAVES

...LILLY PILLIES DROPPING LOWER LEAVES Type of Plant (if known): Some type of Lilly Pilly Symptoms of Plant Illness (please try NOT to diagnose your problems yourself): Losing lower leaves at end of Spring. Ant nests at base of plants, Scale, caterpillars. Local Fairy Rens do a good job of keeping the caterpillars at bay. Scale not too bad, always ants on plants. Soil Type (e.g. sandy, clay or loam) OR Potting Mix Type: Clay type mulched. How often d... read more

Stylish Plants

...retty plant with cherry coloured new growth. Some species and varieties of lilly pilly are susceptible to attack by a tiny insect called a psyllid (Trioza egeniae). The psyllids suck sap from the new leaves, causing ugly oval lumps on the upper surface and corresponding depressions on the lower surface. However, ‘Hot Flush’ is a variety of the small leafed lilly pilly (Acmena smithii var. minor), which does not seem to be troubled by this pest. Li... read more

Best Plants for Topiary

...Philip Pratt, who actually produces these plants for the nursery industry. Lilly pilly (Syzygium australe ‘Elite’) Australian native lilly pillys are becoming very popular for hedging and general ornamental use. They produce flowers and attractive berries as well as interesting foliage, so many garden designers are using them as an alternative to box. Syzygium australe ‘Elite’ is easily Philip’s favourite. It is a tidy plant that isn’t usually tro... read more