Syzygium smithii facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Syzygium smithii |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Syzygium
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| Species: |
smithii
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| Synonyms | |
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Eugenia smithii Poir. |
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The Syzygium smithii tree, also known as the Lilly Pilly, is an evergreen plant from the myrtle family. It used to be called Acmena smithii. This tree blooms in summer and grows fruit in winter. In New Zealand, people often call it the 'monkey apple'.
Lilly Pillies are popular for planting as shrubs or hedges. They have rough, woody bark and smooth, waxy leaves that are cream and green. New leaves often start out pink. The tree also grows tasty berries that can be white or maroon. If you don't trim it, a Lilly Pilly can grow about 3 to 5 meters (10 to 16 feet) tall in a garden.
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What's in a Name? The Taxonomy of Lilly Pilly
The scientific name Syzygium smithii has an interesting history. A French scientist named Jean Louis Marie Poiret first described it in 1789. He called it Eugenia smithii. The "smithii" part was to honor James Edward Smith, another scientist.
However, that name couldn't be used because it was already given to a different plant. Later, in 1893, a German scientist named Franz Josef Niedenzu reclassified it. He moved it to the Syzygium group, giving it its current name.
For many years, this tree was widely known as Acmena smithii. You might still see this old name on some websites or in older books.
People also call this tree by other common names. These include coast satinash, Eungella gum, and lilipilli satinash, especially when talking about its wood.
What Does the Lilly Pilly Look Like?
The Syzygium smithii can grow into a large tree. It can reach up to 20 meters (66 feet) tall and spread 5 to 15 meters (16 to 49 feet) wide. Its trunk can become quite thick, up to 70 centimeters (28 inches) across. The tallest recorded Lilly Pilly was 30 meters (98 feet) tall.
The tree's bark is brown and scaly, and it flakes off easily. Its shiny, dark green leaves grow in pairs on the stems. They are shaped like a spear or an oval and are about 2 to 10 centimeters (0.8 to 3.9 inches) long.
The flowers are creamy-white and bloom from October to March. They grow in clusters at the ends of small branches. After the flowers, berries appear from May to August. These berries are oval or round with a small dip at the top. They are 0.8 to 2 centimeters (0.3 to 0.8 inches) wide and can be white to maroon.
There are also special forms of the Lilly Pilly. One has narrow leaves, 3 to 6 centimeters long, and grows along rainforest riverbanks. Another is a small-leaved form, with leaves 1.6 to 6 centimeters long, found in drier rainforests.
Where Does the Lilly Pilly Grow?
The Syzygium smithii is found in rainforests along the eastern coast of Australia. It grows from the Windsor Tableland in northern Queensland, south through New South Wales, and into Victoria. It reaches as far south as Wilsons Promontory.
In these rainforests, it often grows alongside other trees. These include the bangalow palm, ironwood, black wattle, sassafras, blueberry ash, pinkwood, sweet pittosporum, and kanuka. Near the coast, smaller Lilly Pillies often grow with coast banksia trees.
In New Zealand, the Lilly Pilly is known as "monkey apple." It has spread into forests and scrub areas there. It is considered an "unwanted organism" because it can grow very fast. In some areas, it can even outgrow native trees like puriri and taraire, becoming the main tree in the forest.
Animals and the Lilly Pilly: Ecology
Many animals enjoy the berries of the Lilly Pilly. Birds like the Australian king parrot, crimson rosella, topknot pigeon, and satin bowerbird are known to eat them. Other birds, such as the rose-crowned fruit-dove, superb fruit-dove, white-headed pigeon, and wonga pigeon, also feast on the fruit.
Mammals like brushtail possums and flying foxes also eat the berries. Ringtail possums enjoy eating the fresh leaves. In New Zealand, wood pigeons (called kererū) eat the fruit and help spread the seeds.
Some moth larvae also feed on the leaves of the Lilly Pilly. These include the larvae of the Pectinivalva acmenae, Agriophara horrida, Cryptophasa pultenae, and Macarostola formosa moths.
Growing Lilly Pillies: Cultivation
The Syzygium smithii was first brought to Royal Botanic Gardens Kew in England in 1790. This was done by Sir Joseph Banks.
Today, the Lilly Pilly is widely grown in gardens as a beautiful tree. A famous American landscape designer, Thomas Dolliver Church, used this tree in gardens he designed in the 1950s. He often trimmed them into interesting shapes. The Lilly Pilly can also be shaped into a bonsai tree.
Compared to other similar plants, S. smithii is quite strong. It is more resistant to small insect pests called psyllids. This tree can grow well in both full sun and full shade. Once it is established, it can handle dry periods and even some light frost.
The Lilly Pilly is also known as a fire-retardant plant. This means it can help slow down fires, which is very useful in areas prone to bushfires.
Popular Varieties of Lilly Pilly
Many different types of Lilly Pilly have been chosen for growing in gardens. Here are a few popular ones:
- 'Allyn Magic' is a small, compact variety. Its new leaves are a lovely grey-orange color.
- 'Elizabeth Isaacs' (also called 'Variegata') is a slightly smaller type. Its new leaves have a mix of pink, green, and cream colors.
- 'Firescreen' grows quickly and has broad, glossy leaves. New leaves are copper-red, turning green as they get older. It's great for hedges over 1.2 meters (4 feet) tall. It can grow over 6 meters (20 feet) if not trimmed. 'Firescreen' can handle sun or shade, wind, heat, and cold down to -2°C (28°F). It is also resistant to psyllids and borers.
- 'Hedgemaster' is a small, bushy shrub. It grows about 1 meter (3 feet) tall and 0.5 meters (1.6 feet) wide. It's perfect for formal hedges or shaping into topiary.
- 'Red Head' is a compact tree form with broad leaves. Its new leaves are a deep burgundy-red, turning very dark green. It can grow over 8 meters (26 feet) if not trimmed. 'Red Head' is good for planting in urban areas or for shaping. It can handle sun or shade, wind, heat, and cold down to -2°C (28°F). It is also resistant to psyllids and borers.
The 1889 book The Useful Native Plants of Australia mentions that Indigenous people in the Illawarra region of New South Wales called Eugenia Smithii "Tdgerail." Others in Queensland called it "Coochin-coochin." The book also says that Indigenous Australians ate the fruits, finding them a bit sour but healthy.
Images for kids
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Flowers being pollinated by a bee and an ant
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Berries
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Flowers of Syzygium smithii (Poir, 1789), Mount Keira, Illawarra region, New South Wales, Australia. Photographed mid-November 2015
