Syzygium
( sizz - ZYE - gee - um )
At-A-Glance Information
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This genus of evergreen shrubs and trees does 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.
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Syzygium Species and Varietals
The genus Syzygium is a member of the plant family Myrtaceae and includes 1,197 species. 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 alliiligneum (Onionwood, Mission Beach Satinash, Bark in the Wood) These trees are native to Australia, and reach up to 115 feet tall in their natural habitats. Trunks can be buttressed, and bark is typically pale grey. Foliage is glossy and dark green, lighter green underneath. Flowers are white to cream-colored and bloom in February through April in the plant's native range. Fruits that follow are reddish-pink and contain one large seed. |
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Syzygium antisepticum (Shore Eugenia) These medium sized trees reach up to between 33 and 98 feet tall when fully grown, and sometimes have buttress roots. Leaves are glossy and dark green, and flowers are compact and white, followed by white berries. |
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Syzygium forte (Flaky-Barked Satinash, White Apple, Brown Satinash) These trees have reddish-brown to pinkish flaky bark and produce glossy green leaves. They typically reach up to 82 feet tall. Flowering occurs from September to January in the plant's native range (Australia and New Guinea). Fruits that follow are round and white, containing one large seed each. |
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Syzygium jambos (Roseapple, Malabar Plum, Plum Rose, Rose Apple, Water Apple, Pomarrosa) This species forms a large shrub or small tree that produces red new foliage that matures to green. Flowers are white to greenish-white, and are followed by fruits that are shaped a bit like a guava. Fruits have a strong, pleasant floral bouquet, hence the common name Rose Apple. |
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Syzygium malaccense (Malay Rose Apple, Malay Apple, Mountain Apple, Otaheite Apple, Pink Satin-Ash, Plumrose, Pommerac, Ohi-a 'ai, Manzana de Agua) This species has been described as the most beautiful in the genus, and forms a medium to large perennial tree to 16-50 feet tall when mature. Flowers are pink, and fruits that follow are deep red, though there are some varieties with fruits that have white or pink skins. |
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Syzygium paniculatum (Magenta Lilly Pilly, Magenta Cherry) These large trees have broad, dense, bushy canopies, and typically reach up to 50 feet tall (at maximum 115 feet). Leaves are glossy and dark green above, and pale underneath. Flowers are white, and produced in clusters toward branch tips. Fruits that follow are edible, and are usually magenta, but can be white, pink or purple. These trees are commonly cultivated for their fruits in eastern Australia, which taste like a sour apple. They are eaten fresh or cooked into jams or jellies. |
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Syzygium polyanthum (Indonesian Bay Leaf, Daun Salam) These trees are native to Indonesia, Indochina, and Malaysia. Leaves are traditionally used as a food flavoring, and have the potential to kill the spores of some foodborne illnesses. Leaves can be used dried or fresh, and has a unique sweet, savory flavor that has been described as a mix between Cardamom and Cinnamon. |
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Syzygium samarangense (Wax Apple, Java Apple, Semarang Rose-Apple, Wax Jambu, Hakka, Nose Fruit) These trees reach up to 40 feet tall and produce evergreen leaves that are aromatic when crushed. Trunks are relatively short, and crowns are wide and open, starting low on the tree. Bark is pink-grey and flakey. Flowers are yellow-white, and fruits that follow are of various colors. |
Caring for and pruning syzygium 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 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 trees are 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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