Lilly pillies (Acmena and Syzygium species) are native Australian rainforest plants that have gained enormous popularity in recent years not as fruiting plants but as fast-growing hedging and screening plants. The fruit is really a bonus.The fluffy flowers turn into beautiful berries, ranging from mauve to crimson in colour, which can be used to make jams, jellies and sauces. Most of the fruit is tart but some is sweet and crunchy so, if you have a lilly pilly fruiting in your garden, taste it to see if it is worth eating fresh. Native birds love lilly pilly flowers and fruit and chooks also enjoy scrabbling around under the lilly pillies for fallen fruit.
