Blue lilly pilly, Blue cherry
Syzygium oleosum

Family: Myrtaceae

What it is like

An evergreen shrub or tree. It can grow up to 12 m tall but is usually a shrub 5-6 m high and 3-5 m across. The stem is erect and branching. The bark is grey and smooth. It has a widely spreading crown. Lower branches can touch the ground. The young leaf growth is bronze coloured. The leaves are simple and oval and 3-11 cm long by 3.5 cm wide and taper to a point. They are dark green and shiny on the upper surface and paler green underneath. The leaves have a lemon smell when crushed. The flowers are white and fluffy. They occur in clusters in the angles of the upper leaves but never at the ends of the branches. The fruit are round and change from bright red to shiny blue when ripe. The fruit are about 1.5-2.5 cm across. They have a distinct cavity at the tip. The fruit have one seed inside. The seed is 0.5-0.9 cm across. The fruit are edible. The seed often rattles inside when the fruit is ripe.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in warm temperate regions but can grow in the tropics and subtropics. It needs well-drained soil. It occurs in Queensland and New South Wales in Australia in warm temperate rainforest. It can occur as a shrubby bush near the sea, or in pasture. It can stand light frosts. In Adelaide Botanical Gardens. Melbourne Botanical gardens. It prefers light to medium soils. They need to be well drained and with good organic matter. A protected partly shaded position is needed. It is drought and frost tender. It suits hardiness zones 9-12.

Countries/locations it is found in

Australia (country/location of origin)

How it is used for food

The fruit are eaten raw. They also make good jams and jellies.

It is cultivated.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Plants are easily grown. They are grown from fresh seeds or cuttings. Cuttings strike fairly easily. Plants adapt to a range of soils and climates.

Flowerings occurs in November to February and fruit are ripe March to October.

Its other names

Local names

Oily Satinash, Scented satinash

Synonyms

Eugenia coolminiana C. Moore; Eugenia cyanocarpa (F. Muell.) Maiden & Betche; Eugenia oleosa F. Muell.; Eugenia oleosa var. cynocarpa F. Muell.; Syzygium coolminianum (C. Moore) L. A. S. Johnson;