What Are the Best Lilly Pillies?
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What Are the Best Lilly Pillies?
If you’re asking “what are the best lilly pillies?”, you’re usually trying to solve one of these problems:
You want a fast, attractive privacy hedge.
You need a narrow screen for a side path or boundary.
You want a reliable shrub that handles pruning.
You want something that looks good year-round and doesn’t become a maintenance nightmare.
Lilly pillies (Syzygium and closely related cultivars) are among the most popular screening plants in Australia because they’re evergreen, generally quick-growing, and respond well to shaping. But not all varieties behave the same. Some are better for tight spaces. Some are better for colour. Some are bred for improved toughness and consistency.
This guide focuses only on four of the most useful lilly pillies:
Plum Magic
Resilience
Select
Up & Away
If you’re choosing for a hedge, screen, or feature planting, these four cover the main use cases: colour, toughness, reliability, and vertical narrow growth.
Why Lilly Pillies Are So Popular
Lilly pillies are popular because they tick a lot of boxes at once:
They’re evergreen, so you get privacy year-round.
They suit formal and informal gardens.
They cope with pruning and shaping.
They work as hedges, screens, feature shrubs, and sometimes small trees.
They suit a wide range of Australian conditions when matched to the right variety.
They also respond well to being planted in rows, which makes them ideal for boundary hedging.
That said, the biggest reason people struggle with lilly pillies is choosing the wrong variety for the space. A plant that becomes too wide will cause constant pruning and eventually look stressed. A plant that needs better airflow but is planted too tight can develop problems that look like “mystery disease” but are often just crowding and moisture.
So the “best” lilly pilly depends on what you want it to do.
How to Choose the Best Lilly Pilly for Your Space
Before picking a variety, decide what you’re building:
A dense hedge (privacy and wind protection)
A screen (taller, often slightly looser)
A narrow vertical boundary plant (minimal footprint)
A feature plant (colour and shape are the focus)
Also consider:
How much width you have available
How often you want to prune
How formal you want the hedge to look
Whether you want colourful new growth
How exposed the site is to wind and heat
Whether you’re planting in the ground or in large garden pots
If you're still deciding which variety is right for your garden, you can read our complete Lilly Pilly growing guide for Brisbane which explains planting, hedge spacing, pruning, and maintenance.
Now let’s break down each of the four varieties.
1. Lilly Pilly Plum Magic
Plum Magic is one of the best options if you want a hedge that looks more “designed” than just plain green. It’s known for its darker foliage tones and strong visual presence, making it popular for modern landscapes.
What Plum Magic Is Best For
A rich-coloured hedge with a premium look
A feature hedge for front boundaries
A statement screen that contrasts with lighter paving, walls, or greenery
People who want something that looks different from standard green lilly pillies
Plum Magic is often chosen because it creates a bold, contemporary finish. It suits modern homes where you want landscaping to feel intentional rather than generic.
Growth and Shape
Plum Magic typically grows into a dense shrub suitable for hedging and screening. It responds well to trimming and can be maintained as a formal hedge with regular pruning.
It’s a strong choice when you want a hedge that can be clipped to clean lines without looking sparse.
Styling Uses
Plum Magic works extremely well in:
Front boundary hedges
Courtyard hedging
Driveway screening
Modern garden designs where darker foliage is desirable
If you’re pairing plants with pots and hardscape materials, Plum Magic tends to look particularly good alongside neutral tones. It gives a higher-end finish compared to standard green hedges.
2. Lilly Pilly Resilience
Resilience is exactly what the name suggests: a variety bred and selected for toughness and reliability. If you want a lilly pilly hedge that’s consistent, dependable, and forgiving, Resilience is often the most practical choice.
What Resilience Is Best For
Fast, reliable screening
Low-fuss hedges
Large boundary plantings where consistency matters
Sites that experience heat, wind, or variable conditions
People who want a dependable hedge without constant drama
Resilience is often chosen by landscapers because it tends to perform steadily and predictably. That matters when you’re planting long runs of hedge and you need uniform results.
Growth and Shape
Resilience typically forms a strong, dense shrub that responds well to pruning. With regular trimming it can be kept neat and compact, or allowed to grow taller for screening.
It’s a good “workhorse” lilly pilly: not chosen for being unusual, but chosen because it performs.
Styling Uses
Resilience is ideal for:
Side boundary screening
Backyard privacy hedges
Wind buffering along fences
Mass planting where plants need to match each other over time
If your priority is getting coverage and privacy quickly, Resilience is one of the best options from this list.
3. Lilly Pilly Select
Select is widely used because it’s versatile and consistent. If you want a straightforward hedge plant that can be shaped and maintained easily, Select is a strong option.
It’s commonly used in residential landscaping because it fits the “classic hedge” role: clean green foliage, dense growth, and good response to pruning.
What Select Is Best For
Traditional hedging
Medium-to-tall screens
Neat formal boundaries
People who want a proven, common, reliable lilly pilly variety
Select is the kind of hedge that looks correct in almost any setting. It’s not flashy. It’s not overly unique. It’s just effective.
Growth and Shape
Select grows into a dense screening shrub and can be clipped into a formal hedge. It generally produces a good wall of green when maintained.
If you’re after a tidy hedge line along a fence or driveway, Select is a safe choice.
Styling Uses
Select suits:
Straight boundary hedges
Garden room dividers
Courtyard perimeter screening
Formal landscaping where uniformity matters
It’s particularly useful where the landscape design is clean and structured.
4. Lilly Pilly Up & Away
Up & Away is the specialist in this group. It’s designed for vertical growth with a narrower footprint, making it one of the best lilly pillies for tight spaces.
If you’ve got a narrow side access path, a small courtyard boundary, or limited space between a fence and a walkway, Up & Away is often the best choice.
What Up & Away Is Best For
Narrow screening in tight spaces
Vertical hedges where width is limited
Courtyard boundaries
Side passages and narrow garden beds
People who want privacy without losing usable space
This is the variety you pick when you want height but can’t afford width.
Growth and Shape
Up & Away is typically upright and columnar compared to broader hedge varieties. It can still be pruned, but it naturally tends to grow in a more vertical habit.
That makes it useful for modern landscaping where narrow lines and vertical structure are desired.
Styling Uses
Up & Away is excellent for:
Side boundaries
Narrow planter beds
Courtyard screens
Vertical accent plantings near entryways
If you have a site where a standard hedge would crowd the space, Up & Away solves the problem.
Which of These Is the Best Lilly Pilly?
There isn’t one universal “best,” because each variety serves a different purpose. But you can choose the best one for your goal.
If you want colour and a premium modern look: Plum Magic
If you want the most reliable, tough hedge: Resilience
If you want a classic, versatile hedge: Select
If you need narrow vertical screening: Up & Away
The real mistake is choosing based on looks only without considering the space and pruning commitment.
Best Use Cases (Real-World Scenarios)
Best Lilly Pilly for a Front Hedge
Plum Magic is often the standout option for a front hedge because it has visual impact. If you want the hedge to feel like a feature rather than a background plant, Plum Magic delivers.
Select is also a strong front hedge option if you want a traditional, clean green look that’s easy to keep tidy.
Best Lilly Pilly for Long Side Boundaries
Resilience is often the practical winner for long boundary planting because it tends to be consistent. If you’re planting 10, 20, or 50 metres of hedge, you want a variety that grows evenly.
Select is also suitable for long runs where you want uniform structure.
Best Lilly Pilly for Tight Spaces
Up & Away is the clear choice when space is limited. It gives you height and privacy without taking over the width of your side access.
This is particularly relevant in newer builds where side setbacks are narrow and every centimetre counts.
Planting and Spacing Advice
Spacing depends on how fast you want a hedge to fill in and how wide the variety naturally grows.
For hedging:
Planting closer gives quicker coverage, but reduces airflow.
Planting wider improves airflow but takes longer to fill.
A good approach is to aim for enough spacing that the plants can develop without constant stress, while still closing the gaps within a reasonable time.
If you want a faster hedge, choose a variety that naturally forms a dense habit rather than just planting too close.
For a full step-by-step guide to planting, hedge spacing, watering, and long-term care, see our detailed Lilly Pilly growing guide.
Pruning: How to Keep Lilly Pillies Looking Good
One of the reasons lilly pillies are so popular is how well they handle pruning.
But pruning strategy matters.
If you want a formal hedge:
Trim lightly and frequently during active growth.
Avoid cutting back extremely hard all at once unless you’re renovating an old hedge.
Keep the hedge slightly wider at the base than at the top so light reaches lower leaves.
If you want a natural screen:
Prune less often, shaping only as needed.
Remove awkward shoots and maintain airflow.
Regular pruning improves density and keeps hedges looking full.
Watering and Feeding
Newly planted lilly pillies need consistent watering while establishing. Once established, most will cope well with typical conditions, but hedges grown for dense coverage appreciate consistent moisture during hot periods.
Container growing requires more attention. If you’re growing lilly pillies in large pots, watering and drainage become more important, and fertilising needs to be consistent because nutrients leach out faster.
A slow-release fertiliser in spring and a top-up during active growth supports healthy foliage and hedge density.
Growing Lilly Pillies in Pots
Lilly pillies can be grown successfully in large garden pots, especially when you want screening on balconies, courtyards, or paved areas.
If you’re growing lilly pillies in pots:
Use large, deep pots to allow root volume.
Ensure drainage holes are present.
Use quality potting mix.
Water consistently.
Prune regularly to maintain shape.
Up & Away is often a strong candidate for pot screening because its vertical habit suits narrow spaces.
Plum Magic also performs well in pots when you want a premium feature hedge look.
Common Problems and How to Avoid Them
Most lilly pilly issues come from:
Poor airflow due to tight planting
Overwatering or poor drainage
Inconsistent watering during heat
Lack of pruning leading to weak density
The best prevention is:
Correct spacing
Good drainage
Consistent care while establishing
Light, regular pruning
Choosing a reliable variety suited to your conditions also reduces problems.
Final Summary: The Best Lilly Pillies (From This List Only)
If you want the best lilly pilly for your situation, choose based on the role:
Plum Magic is best for a premium-looking hedge with colour impact.
Resilience is best for reliability and consistent performance in screening.
Select is best for classic hedge structure and versatility.
Up & Away is best for narrow vertical screening in tight spaces.
Each of these varieties has a clear purpose. Picking the right one saves years of maintenance and gives better results.