Smooth-bark rose apple facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Smooth-bark rose apple |
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| Syzygium hodgkinsoniae - leaves | |
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Syzygium
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| Species: |
hodgkinsoniae
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Syzygium hodgkinsoniae is a special and rare tree. It grows in warm, wet rainforests in Australia. You can find it near streams in places like north-east New South Wales and south-east Queensland. People often call it the smooth-bark rose apple or red lilly pilly. It's a beautiful part of Australia's nature.
What Does the Smooth-Bark Rose Apple Look Like?
Syzygium hodgkinsoniae is a small tree. It can grow up to 11 metres (about 36 feet) tall. Its trunk can be up to 15 centimetres (about 6 inches) wide. The bark on its trunk is dark brown and feels smooth. Sometimes the trunk is round, and sometimes it has an uneven shape.
The leaves of this tree are quite unique. They are large, thick, and feel heavy. Each leaf is usually 8 to 15 centimetres (3 to 6 inches) long. They are also 3 to 6 centimetres (1 to 2 inches) wide. The tip of each leaf has a short, blunt point. You can see the veins on both sides of the leaf, but they are clearer on the underside.
Flowers and Fruit: The Tree's Life Cycle
From January to May, this tree grows lovely white flowers. These flowers smell very nice! They grow in clusters called cymes.
Later, around August to November, the tree produces red berries. These berries can be as big as 4 centimetres (about 1.5 inches) across. Inside each berry, there is usually one large seed. These seeds are good at growing into new trees. It's a good idea to remove the fruit's soft part from the seed. Soaking the seed in water for a day or two can also help. This helps to get rid of any tiny insect larvae.
Where Does the Red Lilly Pilly Grow?
This tree likes to grow in specific places. It is a rheophyte, which means it prefers to live near rivers. You can find it in subtropical or gallery rainforests. These areas have rich, deep soil made from alluvial deposits or basalt rock. The tree grows at heights up to 300 metres (about 984 feet) above sea level.
- PlantNET - The Plant Information Network System of Botanic Gardens Trust, Sydney, Australia - 14 July 2009. http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Syzygium~hodgkinsoniae
