Acmena smithii - Lilly Pilly

$150.00

Tax included. Shipping calculated at checkout.

Size: 30cm/33cm

30cm/33cm 40cm/45L 100L 200L

Current Stock Height Guides

30cm/33cm: 1m – 1.3m Approx.
40cm/45L: 1.6m – 2.2m Approx.

Height guide disclaimer: Height ranges are approximate only. As living products, plant heights naturally vary between individual plants, batches, and seasons. No guarantee is given that supplied plants will fall within the stated range. If minimum heights are required, you mustconfirm current batch heights with Evergreen Trees Direct prior to purchase. Variation in height is normal and is not grounds for return, refund, replacement, or compensation.

Mature Height & Width

Mature Height: 5m to 6m

Mature Width: 2m to 3m

Acmena smithii - Lilly Pilly is expected to grow 40cm to 70cm per year.

Root Ball Dimensions

Use this as a reference when digging your planting hole. We recommend digging at least 10% wider than the dimensions below to encourage strong root development.

30cm Pot: 33cm (W) × 30cm (D)
40cm/45L Pot: 44cm (W) × 41.5cm (D)
50cm Pot / 70L Pot: 55cm (W) × 41.8cm (D)
100L Bag: 50.6cm (W) × 52.8cm (D)
150L Bag: 66cm (W) × 55cm (D)
200L Bag: 71.5cm (W) × 60.5cm (D)
300L Bag: 88cm (W) × 63.8cm (D)
400L Bag: 99cm (W) × 66cm (D)
500L Bag: 122cm (W) × 66cm (D)
750L Bag: 134cm (W) × 69cm (D)
1000L Bag: 146.3cm (W) × 71.5cm (D)
2000L Bag: 176cm (W) × 82.5cm (D)

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Email: sales@evergreentrees.com.au

Phone: (03) 7042 3318

About Your New Acmena smithii - Lilly Pilly

Acmena smithii is the lilly pilly that stays clean. As an Acmena it is naturally resistant to the psyllid that causes pimple-like galls on Syzygium varieties, so a hedge holds glossy unblemished foliage year after year without spraying. New growth flushes bronze to pink over dark green.

Acmena smithii grows to 5 to 6 metres tall and 2 to 3 metres wide at 40 to 70 centimetres per year, with a naturally dense habit that fills in from ground level. Fluffy white flowers are followed by ornamental berries. It runs equally well as a formal clipped hedge, an informal screen, or a lifted feature tree.

This Australian native grows in full sun to part shade and tolerates light to moderate frost once established. It is widely used in civic, commercial and rural landscape planting precisely because it delivers a reliable screen with very little ongoing attention.

Frequently Asked Questions

About Acmena smithii

How tall does Acmena smithii grow?

Acmena smithii grows to 5 to 6 metres tall and 2 to 3 metres wide unpruned. It is commonly held at 2 to 3 metres as a hedge and holds density right to ground level.

Is Acmena smithii psyllid resistant?

Yes. Acmena species are naturally resistant to the psyllid that causes pimple-like galls on many Syzygium lilly pillies. This is the main reason Acmena is specified for large hedge runs.

How fast does Acmena smithii grow?

It grows at 40 to 70 centimetres per year once established, forming a usable screen within two to three years with regular water through the first summers.

How far apart should I plant Acmena smithii for a hedge?

Plant 1 to 1.5 metres apart for a dense informal screen, or 80 centimetres apart for a tighter formal hedge.

Does Acmena smithii grow in shade?

Yes. It performs in full sun through to part shade. In shadier positions growth is slightly more open but the plant stays healthy and dense enough to screen.

Does Acmena smithii flower and fruit?

Yes. Fluffy white flowers appear sporadically and are followed by small ornamental berries that attract birds. The berries are edible but not commonly eaten.

Is Acmena smithii frost tolerant?

It handles light to moderate frost once established. Protect young plants through their first winter in colder inland districts.

Enriched Planting Mix (AO Certified)

$21.95

Enriched Planting Mix is a certified organic blend of Pure Magic Compost, composted animal manure, gypsum, composted coarse bark and a wetting agent, bagged in 30L. It is built to be dug through existing garden soil at planting time rather than used on its own, and the gypsum is what sets it apart from a plain compost.

Gypsum helps break up heavy clay so water and roots can move through it, while the compost and manure return organic matter and nutrient to tired ground. The coarse bark holds structure and keeps air around the root zone, and the wetting agent keeps moisture in the soil longer after rain or watering.

Use it when planting trees, shrubs, roses, fruit trees and exotic garden plants, particularly into clay. Dig a hole twice the width of the pot and 7 centimetres deeper, then mix roughly one third planting mix through the excavated soil. Spread 7 centimetres of that improved soil in the base before setting the plant in.

Frequently Asked Questions

About Enriched Planting Mix

What is Enriched Planting Mix made from?

It is a blend of Pure Magic Compost, composted animal manure, gypsum, composted coarse bark and a wetting agent. Each part has a job. The compost and manure supply organic matter and nutrient, the gypsum works on clay structure, the bark keeps air around the roots and the wetting agent holds moisture in the soil.

What plants is it suitable for?

It suits exotic garden plants, including roses, ornamental and deciduous trees, fruit trees, shrubs and perennials, and it earns its keep most on heavy clay sites. It is a planting mix rather than a potting mix, so its job is improving soil at planting time. Phosphorus sensitive natives are the one clear exception.

Is it safe for natives?

No, not for the phosphorus sensitive ones. The composted animal manure in this blend lifts phosphorus well above what Proteaceae such as Banksia, Grevillea, Hakea and Protea will tolerate, and the result can be leaf burn, dieback and plant death. Use the Native Potting Mix for those species, or plant them into unimproved local soil.

Is it certified organic?

Yes. It is a certified organic product with no chemical additives, which is why the manure and compost in it are fully composted rather than raw. That makes it sound around fruit trees and vegetable beds, and it means you are adding genuine organic matter to your soil rather than a synthetic conditioner.

How much do I need?

Work on roughly one third planting mix to two thirds of the soil you dug out of the hole. For a shrub out of a 200 millimetre pot that is only a few litres. An advanced tree going into a large hole will take considerably more. Judge the quantity by the volume of the hole rather than the size of the plant.

Can I use it in pots?

It is not a potting mix and should not be used on its own in a container. The blend is designed to be diluted through garden soil, and used straight in a pot it holds too much water and settles badly. For containers, reach for a premium potting mix, or the native mix if you are potting natives.

Does it need to be watered in?

Yes. Water the plant well several hours before you plant it, then water thoroughly again once the hole is backfilled and the soil firmed down. That first deep watering settles the improved soil around the root ball and drives out air pockets. Keep the water up over the first few months while the roots establish.

View full details

Type: Garden Supplies

Enriched Planting Mix (AO Certified)

$21.95

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Uses in my Garden

Screening or Privacy
Shrubs
Rural Property Planting
Council or Civic Landscapes

Acmena smithii - Lilly Pilly works in an:

Australian Native Garden – celebrates local plants with natural character.
Formal Garden – structured, symmetrical design with clipped shapes.
Modern Garden – sleek, minimal, and design-led planting.
Wildlife Garden – planting to attract birds, bees, and pollinators.
Low-maintenance Garden – resilient choices for easy care and year-round appeal.

Is Acmena smithii - Lilly Pilly Evergreen or Deciduous?

Acmena smithii - Lilly Pilly is an Evergreen (foliage year round) Tree

Mature Height & Width

Mature Height: 5m to 6m

Mature Width: 2m to 3m

Acmena smithii - Lilly Pilly is expected to grow 40cm to 70cm per year.

Growth Rate of Acmena smithii - Lilly Pilly

Acmena smithii - Lilly Pilly is expected to grow 40cm to 70cm per year.

They are considered to have a:

Medium Growth Rate
Fast Growth Rate

Frost Tolerance & Ideal Climate to plant Acmena smithii - Lilly Pilly

Is Acmena smithii - Lilly Pilly frost tolerant?

Acmena smithii - Lilly Pilly is Frost Tolerant – Can handle light to moderate frost once established.

Does Acmena smithii - Lilly Pilly Flower?

Acmena smithii produces clusters of small white, fluffy flowers from late spring into summer. These soft blooms sit along the fresh foliage, adding a subtle seasonal highlight before developing into colourful berries.

Does Acmena smithii - Lilly Pilly flower?

Yes - Flowers

Flowering Period:

Sporadic

Flower Type:

Clustered

Flower Colour:

White

Is Acmena smithii - Lilly Pilly an Australian Native Tree?

Yes

Acmena smithii - Lilly Pilly is Native to Eastern Australia, from Queensland through New South Wales to Victoria, where it grows naturally in rainforests and along waterways.

What is the Wildlife Value of Acmena smithii - Lilly Pilly ?

Its dense foliage provides excellent shelter and nesting habitat for small birds, while its flowers support native bees and beneficial insects. The berries that follow offer an important food source for fruit-eating birds, boosting local biodiversity and ecological resilience.

How much Sunlight does Acmena smithii - Lilly Pilly need?

Acmena smithii - Lilly Pilly will thrive best in:

Full Sun
Part Shade

Preferred Soil?

Acmena smithii performs best in well-drained loam or sandy loam soils and prefers slightly acidic to neutral conditions. It may struggle in heavy clay or poorly drained areas unless improved with organic matter to increase aeration and drainage. Keep soil evenly moist during establishment, then move to deep, occasional watering as it matures and develops reliable drought resilience.

Is Acmena smithii - Lilly Pilly Drought Tolerant?

Is Acmena smithii - Lilly Pilly Drought tolerant?

As a young tree it requires regular watering, but once established Acmena smithii develops good drought tolerance. It performs reliably during dry periods and maintains its dense evergreen canopy with minimal supplementary watering.

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How To Plant Your Acmena smithii - Lilly Pilly

Site: Choose a well-drained position in full sun to part shade with room for the canopy to develop.

Soil preparation: Enrich the planting area with quality compost and aged manure for a strong establishment phase.

Hole: Dig twice as wide as the root ball and the same depth.

Planting: Position level with the surrounding soil, backfill gently, firm in, then water deeply to settle the roots.

Recommended Planting Spacing For Your Acmena smithii - Lilly Pilly

Hedging and screening: 1 to 1.5 metres apart for a dense informal screen, or 80 centimetres apart for a tighter formal hedge.

Avenue planting: 3 metres apart for a uniform soft-textured avenue.

Acmena smithii - Lilly Pilly is expected to grow 40cm to 70cm per year.

Medium Growth Rate
Fast Growth Rate

Long Term Care For Your Acmena smithii - Lilly Pilly

Watering: Water deeply twice weekly through the first 12 months. Once established, reduce to once weekly in dry periods. Mulch helps maintain consistent moisture.

Mulching: Apply a 5 to 7 centimetre layer of organic mulch over the root zone, keeping it 5 centimetres clear of the trunk.

Pruning: Tip prune in late winter and again in summer to build dense growth. For a formal hedge, light shaping two to three times a year keeps lines crisp.

Fertilising: Apply a slow-release native blend in early spring and again in autumn. Avoid high-phosphorus formulations as a precaution.

Pest and disease: Hardy against most pests and diseases. Occasional inspection for psyllids or scale in warm humid conditions is all that's needed.

Planting Your Acmena smithii - Lilly Pilly in Different Soil

Acmena smithii performs best in well-drained sandy loam or loam with a slightly acidic to neutral pH. Adaptable to a wide range of soils when drainage is improved with organic matter.

Sandy soil: Free-draining and ideal. Mulch well to maintain consistent moisture.

Clay soil: Improve drainage with gypsum and organic compost before planting.

Loam: The preferred soil for steady root development and consistent growth.

pH: Slightly acidic to neutral preferred. Mulch with composted leaf litter to maintain levels naturally.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Is Acmena smithii good for hedging or screening?
A. Yes — it has a naturally dense growth habit, making it ideal for privacy screens, windbreaks, or garden boundaries.

Q. Can I use it as a feature tree or topiary?
A. Absolutely. It is highly adaptable and can be shaped into topiary or grown naturally as a feature tree. It responds very well to pruning.

Q. How quickly does it grow?
A. It grows at a moderate to fast rate, typically 40 – 70 cm per year with the right conditions.

Q. Is it drought hardy?
A. Yes — once established, Acmena smithii is drought-resistant and handles dry conditions well.

Q. Can it grow in coastal or cold environments?
A. Yes — it is tolerant of a range of environmental conditions, including seaside exposure and cold climates.

Q. What light conditions are best?
A. It thrives in full sun to part shade, making it very flexible for different garden positions.

Q. What kind of maintenance does it need?
A. Very low maintenance. Prune once a year for formal hedges or every 2–3 years to maintain a natural shape.

Q. How much water does it need?
A. Water as needed for 8–13 weeks until established. After that, it performs well in well-drained soils with minimal watering.