Syzygium oleosum facts for kids
Syzygium oleosum, often called the blue lilly pilly, Scented satinash, or Blue cherry, is a cool tree from Australia. It belongs to a group of plants called Syzygium and grows naturally in the eastern Australian rainforests and wet sclerophyll forests. These forests are special places with lots of trees and plants.
Quick facts for kids Syzygium oleosum |
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Syzygium
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oleosum
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Contents
What Does the Blue Lilly Pilly Look Like?
The blue lilly pilly is usually a small tree. It can grow to be about 4 to 15 meters tall, which is like a small building! Its leaves grow in pairs, one on each side of the stem. They are simple leaves, meaning they are not divided into smaller leaflets.
Leaves and Flowers
The leaves are shaped like a spear (lanceolate) or an egg (ovate). They are shiny and dark green on top, but lighter underneath. If you crush a leaf, it smells a bit like lemons because it has tiny oil dots. The tree's flowers are small and have a white-cream color.
Amazing Fruit
One of the coolest things about this tree is its fruit! When the fruit is young, it's purplish-red. But as it gets ripe, it turns a beautiful purplish-blue color. These round fruits are usually between 13 and 40 millimeters wide, which is about the size of a small marble or a cherry.
Where Does the Blue Lilly Pilly Grow?
You can find the blue lilly pilly all along the east coast of Australia. It grows in many places, from Cooktown in North Queensland all the way down to the Illawarra region in New South Wales. This shows it can live in many different environments!
How People Use Blue Lilly Pilly Fruit
The blue lilly pilly fruit is not just pretty; it's also tasty! People can eat the fruit right off the tree when it's ripe. It has a nice, crisp texture and is a little sweet with a pleasant smell.
Cooking and More
This fruit is also great for cooking. People use it to make delicious jams, jellies, and even wine. Because it's so attractive and useful, the blue lilly pilly is also grown as an ornamental plant in gardens. This means people plant it just because it looks nice!
Images for kids
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Blue cherry at Barrenjoey
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Flower cluster from Cabarita Beach
See also
In Spanish: Lilly pilly azul para niños
