Syzygium paniculatum
( sizz - ZYE - gee - um pan - nick - yoo - LAY - tum )
At-A-Glance Information
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Commonly called Australian Brush Cherry, Eugenia, Magenta Lilly Pilly, or simply Brush Cherry or Magenta Cherry, this species of evergreen shrubs and trees do well in sun but are tolerant of a little shade and need moderate to regular amounts of water. These plants are native to Australia and form a single or multi-trunked tree with a dense foliage crown about 30-60 feet tall and 10-20 feet wide. It can also be sheared into a shrub or hedge and is commonly used as a screening plant. Leaves are glossy and green, often reddish-bronze when new. Flowers bloom in summertime, and look like little white brushes and are followed by edible rosy-purple fruit that is great in jellies, but is not too appetizing fresh. Brush Cherry grows best in zones 16, 17, 20-24, H1 and H2. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.
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Syzygium samarangense (Fog Apple, Nose Fruit, Hakka, Wax Apple)
Caring for and pruning syzygium paniculatum shrubs
Eugenia shrubs do well in full sun to partial shade, and should be getting around 6 hours of direct sunlight each day for best performance. Well-draining soil is essential for these shrubs, and they prefer that soil be kept consistently moist. Overwatering can lead to issues with root rot. Eugenia benefits from a yearly feeding in summertime with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer. Keep the pH of soil between 6.1 and 7.8. Brush Cherry foliage will burn at 25 degrees Fahrenheit, and plants will not do well in cool temperatures so they will need some winter protection in cooler regions. Syzygium paniculata has a heavy root system, making it a bit difficult to grow other plants around these shrubs and trees, and hedges need to be clipped frequently to stay tidy. Otherwise, they are great additions to any landscape or container garden.
Propagation
The best and simplest way to propagate Eugenia is through basal cuttings. These are cuttings taken from the sucker-like growths at the bottom of the plant.
Propagating Syzygium panicultum by Cutting
- Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand.
- In spring or early summertime, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 3-4 inch portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming basal branch and strip any leaves off of the lower half. The cutting should be semi-hardwood. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
- Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth, you'll know you have roots.
- Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new shrub.
Problems and Pests
Syzygium paniculatum is susceptible to problems with the following pests and diseases:
- Eugenia Psyllid
- Toot Rot
- Aphids
- Spider Mites
- Fungal Infections
Gallery
There are dwarf and full-sized varieties of these shrubs.
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Australian Brush Cherry is so named because its fruit somewhat resembles a cherry.
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Syzygium paniculatum shrubs make great formal screens.
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Videos
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All about Syzygium shrubs.
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How to use these great screening shrubs to create a privacy hedge.
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How to revive an old Bush Cherry.
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Syzygium are great background shrubs for landscapes.
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Resources
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Pages 621 - 622, Syzygium paniculatum (Brush Cherry, Australian Brush Cherry)
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