Syzygium australe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Syzygium australe |
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Syzygium
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australe
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Syzygium australe, often called brush cherry, scrub cherry, creek lilly-pilly, creek satinash, or watergum, is a rainforest tree. It grows naturally in eastern Australia. In the wild, it can reach heights of up to 35 meters (about 115 feet). Its trunk can be as wide as 60 centimeters (about 2 feet). When people grow it in gardens, it is usually a smaller tree, reaching a maximum height of about 18 meters (about 59 feet).
Contents
What Does Brush Cherry Look Like?
The leaves of the brush cherry grow in pairs opposite each other. They are simple and shaped like a spear, usually 4 to 8 centimeters (about 1.5 to 3 inches) long. The flowers are white and grow in groups.
The fruits are pink and shaped like an oval. They are good to eat and are about 1.5 to 2.3 centimeters (about 0.6 to 0.9 inches) long. These fruits usually ripen in summer and autumn. Inside each fruit is a small, round seed. The fruit tastes refreshing, with a slight sourness.
People sometimes confuse the brush cherry with the magenta cherry or the blue lilly pilly. However, the brush cherry has a lighter-colored trunk.
Where Does Brush Cherry Grow?
This tree grows along the coast in Queensland and New South Wales, Australia. You can find it from Batemans Bay northwards.
How Brush Cherry Grows from Seed
Syzygium australe seeds usually take about six weeks to sprout. The time it takes depends on the temperature and how wet the soil is. The best temperatures for brush cherry seeds to sprout are between 18 and 26 degrees Celsius (65-80 degrees Fahrenheit).
The soil needs to be damp, but not too wet. If the soil is too wet, the seed can rot. To help the seed sprout, make sure to remove all the fruit flesh from around it. Plant the seeds about half an inch deep in the soil. If you plant them in a pot, make sure the pot has good holes for water to drain out.
Growing and Using Brush Cherry
Brush cherry trees are often planted in gardens in Eastern Australia. People often choose smaller types of the tree, called cultivars, to grow as shrubs. Some popular types are "Aussie Boomer", "Aussie Compact", "Birdsville", "Bush Christmas", "Minipilly", and "Tiny Trev". These are great for making hedges.
The fruit of the brush cherry is pleasantly sour. You can eat it fresh or cook with it. People often use the fruit to make delicious jams and jellies.
The city of Coffs Harbour has chosen the brush cherry as its city flower. This tree is also used for bonsai, which is the art of growing miniature trees in pots.
Images for kids
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A grown brush cherry tree at Mount Keira, Illawarra, Australia
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A grown brush cherry tree in Watagans National Park, Australia
See also
In Spanish: Cereza cepillo para niños
