Acmena smithii
Encyclopedia
Syzygium smithii is a summer flowering evergreen tree, belonging to the myrtle family Myrtaceae
. It is commonly planted as shrubs or hedgerows. It features rough woody bark, cream and green smooth waxy leaves with flushes of pink new growth and pink to mauve edible berries. It shares the common name "Lilly Pilly" with several other plants. Unpruned it will grow about 3–5 m (10–15 ft) tall in the garden.
, its specific name honouring James Edward Smith
, who had described it two years earlier as E. elliptica. The name was unusable due to that combination having been used for another species. It gained its current binomial name in 1893 when reclassified in the genus Syzygium
by German botanist Franz Josef Niedenzu
, but was for many years widely known as Acmena smithii.
Common names include lilly pilly, coast satinash, Eungella gum, and in the timber trade, lilipilli satinash.
, being 30 m (98 ft) tall and a trunk 60 cm (2 ft) wide.
The trunk is sometimes buttressed. The bark is brown and scaled and flakes off easily. Its dark green shiny leaves are arranged oppositely on the stems, and are lanceolate or ovate and measure 2–10 cm (1–4 in) by 1–3 cm wide. The cream-white flowers appear from October to March, occurring in panicles at the end of small branches. Berries follow on, appearing from May to August, and are oval or globular and measure 0.8 to 2 cm in diameter, and range from white to maroon in colour. They are mildly acid, and have been described as somewhat lacking in taste.
A distinctive narrow leaved form with thin leaves 3–6 cm long is found along rainforest riverbanks from Sydney
northwards through Queensland
, and a small leaved form with leaves measuring 1.6–6 cm found in dryer rainforests from Colo Heights near Sydney north to the Bunya Mountains
.
and Victoria
to Wilsons Promontory
.
, Crimson Rosella
, Rose-crowned Fruit-dove
, Superb Fruit-dove
, Topknot Pigeon
, White-headed Pigeon
, Wonga Pigeon
, Satin Bowerbird
, and Pied Currawong
have all been recorded eating the berries as well as brushtail possum
s and flying foxes.
Myrtaceae
The Myrtaceae or Myrtle family are a family of dicotyledon plants, placed within the order Myrtales. Myrtle, clove, guava, feijoa, allspice, and eucalyptus belong here. All species are woody, with essential oils, and flower parts in multiples of four or five...
. It is commonly planted as shrubs or hedgerows. It features rough woody bark, cream and green smooth waxy leaves with flushes of pink new growth and pink to mauve edible berries. It shares the common name "Lilly Pilly" with several other plants. Unpruned it will grow about 3–5 m (10–15 ft) tall in the garden.
Taxonomy
Syzygium smithii 's name dates from its 1789 description as Eugenia smithii by French botanist Jean Louis Marie PoiretJean Louis Marie Poiret
Jean Louis Marie Poiret was a French clergyman, botanist and explorer.From 1785 to 1786 he was sent by Louis XVI to Algeria to study the flora...
, its specific name honouring James Edward Smith
James Edward Smith
Sir James Edward Smith was an English botanist and founder of the Linnean Society.Smith was born in Norwich in 1759, the son of a wealthy wool merchant. He displayed a precocious interest in the natural world...
, who had described it two years earlier as E. elliptica. The name was unusable due to that combination having been used for another species. It gained its current binomial name in 1893 when reclassified in the genus Syzygium
Syzygium
Syzygium is a genus of flowering plants that belongs to the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. The genus comprises about 1100 species, and has a native range that extends from Africa and Madagascar through southern Asia east through the Pacific...
by German botanist Franz Josef Niedenzu
Franz Josef Niedenzu
Franz Josef Niedenzu was a German botanist born in Köppernig. For most of his career he was a professor and subsequently rector at the Lyceum Hosianum in Braunsberg, East Prussia...
, but was for many years widely known as Acmena smithii.
Common names include lilly pilly, coast satinash, Eungella gum, and in the timber trade, lilipilli satinash.
Description
Syzygium smithii grows as a tree to 20 m (60 ft) high by 5–15 m (15–50 ft) wide, with a trunk attaining a diameter of 70 cm (2 ft). The largest tree was recorded at Dingo Creek Flora Reserve, south of TenterfieldTenterfield, New South Wales
Tenterfield is a town in New South Wales, Australia. It is located in the New England region at the intersection of the New England and Bruxner Highways. Tenterfield is a three-hour drive from Brisbane, 2.5 hours from Byron Bay, two hours from Armidale, New South Wales and 10 hours from Sydney....
, being 30 m (98 ft) tall and a trunk 60 cm (2 ft) wide.
The trunk is sometimes buttressed. The bark is brown and scaled and flakes off easily. Its dark green shiny leaves are arranged oppositely on the stems, and are lanceolate or ovate and measure 2–10 cm (1–4 in) by 1–3 cm wide. The cream-white flowers appear from October to March, occurring in panicles at the end of small branches. Berries follow on, appearing from May to August, and are oval or globular and measure 0.8 to 2 cm in diameter, and range from white to maroon in colour. They are mildly acid, and have been described as somewhat lacking in taste.
A distinctive narrow leaved form with thin leaves 3–6 cm long is found along rainforest riverbanks from Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
northwards through Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, and a small leaved form with leaves measuring 1.6–6 cm found in dryer rainforests from Colo Heights near Sydney north to the Bunya Mountains
Bunya Mountains
The Bunya Mountains are a distinctive set of peaks forming an isolated section of the Great Dividing Range in southern Queensland. The mountain range forms the northern edge of the Darling Downs near Bell and Dalby. The mountains are south of Kingaroy and just to the south west of Nanango...
.
Distribution and habitat
Syzygium smithii is found in rainforest from Bundaberg in Central Queensland south through New South WalesNew South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
and Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
to Wilsons Promontory
Wilsons Promontory
Wilsons Promontory is a peninsula that forms the southernmost part of the Australian mainland and is located at . South Point at is the southernmost tip of Wilsons Promontory and hence of mainland Australia...
.
Ecology
The Australian King ParrotAustralian King Parrot
The Australian King Parrot is endemic to eastern Australia. It is found in humid and heavily forested upland regions of the eastern portion of the continent, including eucalyptus wooded areas in and directly adjacent to subtropical and temperate rainforest...
, Crimson Rosella
Crimson Rosella
The Crimson Rosella is a parrot native to eastern and south eastern Australia which has been introduced to New Zealand and Norfolk Island. It is commonly found in, but not restricted to, mountain forests and gardens. The species as it now stands has subsumed two former separate species, the Yellow...
, Rose-crowned Fruit-dove
Rose-crowned Fruit-dove
The Rose-crowned Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus regina, also known as Pink-capped Fruit Dove or Swainson's Fruit Dove, is a medium-sized, up to 22 cm long, green fruit dove with a grey head and breast, an orange belly, whitish throat, yellow-orange iris, and greyish green bill and feet. It has a...
, Superb Fruit-dove
Superb Fruit-Dove
The Superb Fruit Dove , also known as the Purple-crowned Fruit Dove , is a medium-sized , colourful fruit-dove in the family Columbidae....
, Topknot Pigeon
Topknot Pigeon
The Topknot Pigeon is a pigeon native to Australia. It is also known by the name of "Flock Pigeon".-Description:...
, White-headed Pigeon
White-headed Pigeon
The White-headed Pigeon is a pigeon native to the east coast of Australia, belonging to the same genus as the domestic pigeon C. livia....
, Wonga Pigeon
Wonga Pigeon
The Wonga Pigeon Leucosarcia melanoleuca is a pigeon that inhabits areas in eastern Australia with its range being from Central Queensland to Gippsland, eastern Victoria, Australia....
, Satin Bowerbird
Satin Bowerbird
The Satin Bowerbird, Ptilonorhynchus violaceus is a bowerbird endemic to eastern Australia.A rare natural intergeneric hybrid between the Satin Bowerbird and the Regent Bowerbird is known as Rawnsley's Bowerbird.-Distribution:...
, and Pied Currawong
Pied Currawong
The Pied Currawong is a medium-sized black passerine bird native to eastern Australia and Lord Howe Island. One of three currawong species in the genus Strepera, it is closely related to the butcherbirds and Australian Magpie of the family Artamidae. Six subspecies are recognised...
have all been recorded eating the berries as well as brushtail possum
Brushtail possum
The brushtail possums are the members of the genus, Trichosurus, a genus of marsupial in the Phalangeridae family.It contains the following species:*Northern Brushtail Possum, Trichosurus arnhemensis...
s and flying foxes.
Cultivation
Syzygium smithii is widely grown in cultivation as a specimen tree. Of the several species grown in cultivation, S. smithii is one of the more resistant to attacks by psyllids.Cultivars
A number of forms have been selected for cultivation , including the following:- 'Allyn Magic', a compact form of S. smithii var. minor with greyed-orange new foliage bred by Noel Jupp of East Gresford, New South Wales.
- 'Elizabeth Isaacs' (also known as 'Variegata'), a slightly smaller cultivar that has new growth flushes with a combination of pink, green, cream and cream-margined leaves.
- 'Firescreen', a select, fast growing, broad leaf form of Acmena smithii. Glossy, copper–red new foliage growth is encouraged by a regular prune and feed, maturing to mid green. Selected for hedging from 1.2m high, Firescreen has a semi-pendulous, dense habit, a short leaf internode and holds it’s foliage all the way to the ground. Unpruned height 6m+. Can also be used as a pot specimen for topiary or as a standard. Firescreen tolerates full sun to shade, windy conditions, heat waves and cold to -2deg. and psyllid and borer resistant. For best results add organic matter to soil when planting and feed and water regularly until established. Bred by Tracey and Stuart Knowland of Bangalow Wholesale Nursery NSW, with Plant Breeder's Rights Granted 2010. Acmena smithii is listed as a fire retardant species by such authorities as Gosford Council NSW, NSW Fire Service and the Country Fire Authority (Refer Ref for example link). NB: fire-retardant does not equal fire-proof, as all trees will burn.
- 'Hedgemaster' is a compact shrubby form reaching a metre (3 ft) tall and 0.5 m wide. It has a bushy dense habit and small leaves, and can be used in topiaryTopiaryTopiary is the horticultural practice of training live perennial plants, by clipping the foliage and twigs of trees, shrubs and subshrubs to develop and maintain clearly defined shapes, perhaps geometric or fanciful; and the term also refers to plants which have been shaped in this way. It can be...
or formal hedging. It was propagated and licenced under Plant Breeders' Rights by TV presenter Don BurkeDon BurkeDonald William "Don" Burke OAM is an Australian television personality and author. He is best known as the long time host of Burke's Backyard, a lifestyle program which ran for 17 years from 1987 to late 2004 on the Nine Network. It has returned several times over recent years with a number of...
[Note: Plant Breeders Rights since terminated].
- 'Red Head', a select, broad leaf, compact tree form of Acmena smithii. Glossy, burgundy-red new foliage is encouraged by a regular prune and feed, maturing to very dark green. Unpruned height 8m+. Selected for compact, bushy form suitable for pleaching, topiary, standards or as a stand alone tree in urban areas. Red Head tolerates full sun to shade, windy conditions, heat waves and cold to -2deg. Red Head is psyllid and borer resistant. Bred by Tracey and Stuart Knowland of Bangalow Wholesale Nursery NSW, with Plant Breeders Rights Granted 2010. For best results add organic matter to soil when planting and feed and water regularly until established.