large lilly pilly

Name: The Plant Company
Address: 284 Meeanee Road, Meeanee, Napier, 4112, New Zealand
Telephone: 0800 843 752
Price range: Contact Us
Rating: 4.8/5

If you're searching for the perfect plant to create lush privacy screens, vibrant hedges, or a show-stopping feature tree in your New Zealand garden, you can’t go wrong with a large lilly pilly. Famous for their glossy green foliage, fluffy white or pink blossoms, and clusters of colourful berries, these hardy natives are a top choice for anyone seeking fast, reliable growth and year-round beauty. With lush, dense growth and exceptional resilience, large lilly pilly plants are widely loved for shaping landscapes and providing natural shelter from wind and neighbours alike.

Eugenia uniflora

Eugenia uniflora (Surinam Cherry) is an attractive evergreen shrub or small tree valued for its glossy foliage, colourful new growth, white flowers, and distinctive edible fruit. The ribbed berries ripen through shades of orange to deep red and add strong seasonal interest to warm New Zealand gardens.

Buy Eugenia uniflora

From $50.99

Suited to regions: Subtropical, Temperate

Plant type: Trees

Height: 4.00 m

Spread: 2.50 m

Flowering time: Spring

Tolerances: Coastal

Garden uses: Culinary, Hedging, Living areas, Parks, Pool areas, Screening, Specimen, Walls

Garden styles: Backyard, City & Courtyard, Coastal, Formal, Frontyard, Japanese, Modern

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Why Choose a Large Lilly Pilly for Your Garden?

A large lilly pilly (sometimes called brush cherry or Australian cherry) offers instant impact and year-round charm. Once established, these fast-growing evergreens can quickly reach impressive heights—often up to 5 metres or more—making them excellent candidates for tall hedges or standalone screening trees. Their dense foliage ensures enhanced privacy and acts as a natural sound buffer, perfect for city gardens and rural retreats alike.

Lilly pilly varieties are also celebrated for their adaptability and resilience. They thrive in a range of soil types, handle coastal conditions, and respond well to regular trimming. Plus, with their attractive new growth blushing shades of bronze and red, lilly pillies add vivid colour throughout the seasons.

Best Varieties of Large Lilly Pilly for New Zealand

When it comes to finding the right large lilly pilly, consider reliable species like Eugenia ventenatii (Lilly Pilly). This variety grows vigorously and develops a dense, upright structure, making it ideal for creating formal hedges or living fences.

Syzygium australe is another popular selection, loved for its rounded leaves, showy new growth, and ability to tolerate coastal winds. Its creamy flowers and bright pink fruit attract native birds, adding extra life to your garden.

Other lilly pilly relatives, such as Eugenia jambolana (Java Plum) and Eugenia myrtifolia (Syzygium myrtifolia), also flourish in New Zealand’s climate, giving you greater choice for building greenery or including edible elements in your landscape. For those with a love of fragrant gardens, Eugenia caryophyllata (Clove) offers aromatic appeal as well as glossy foliage.

Growing and Caring for Large Lilly Pilly

Large lilly pilly types are considered low-maintenance, but for best results, plant them in well-drained soil enriched with compost. Water regularly while young, then ease off as they mature and become more drought-tolerant. Prune annually to maintain shape and encourage bushy growth, and mulch around the base to keep the roots cool and healthy.

Lilly pilly plants generally resist pests, but occasional outbreaks of psyllid can cause leaf pimples. Choose resistant varieties and tidy up your plants as needed to minimise issues. A slow-release fertiliser in spring will encourage robust growth and plenty of flowers.

Transform Your Outdoor Space With a Large Lilly Pilly

A large lilly pilly brings structure, beauty, and year-round greenery to gardens of all sizes. Whether you need a dramatic hedge, a fast-growing privacy screen, or a low-maintenance feature for your landscape, these versatile evergreens won’t disappoint. Explore our range online, including Eugenia ventenatii (Lilly Pilly), Syzygium australe, and more to find the right large lilly pilly for your needs. Bring home the classic beauty of a lilly pilly and enjoy a thriving, vibrant garden for years to come.

Contact us

Whether you need assistance finding the plant you’re looking for or you simply want to know more about who we are and what we do, we invite you to get in touch with us today. A member of The Plant Company team will get back in touch as soon as possible.

It’s easy to pick Coprosma 'Hawera' (Sand Coprosma) and Griselinia 'Ardmore Emerald', but garden variety is all about adding surprises like Parrotia persica, Acer palmatum 'Bloodgood', and Hibiscus 'Lady Stanley'.

–The Plant Company