Tree of the Month: Brush Cherry

Syzygium australe (Brush Cherry)

This Lilly Pilly is common throughout the Wollongong area, but does not quite reach Stanwell Park naturally.

It usually occurs in creeks on the lower half of the escarpment but can also be found on the western part of the coastal plain. It has attractive white flower and abundant bright red fruit. The fruit is tasty, unlike the more common Smithii species, but there is not a lot of flesh on the seed.

However, it is easy to make an excellent jam with quite a distinctive taste.

Because the tree produces native edible fruit (like the Plum Pine, Podocarpus elatus), we have planted many of them in the Stanwell Avenue Reserve to replace the Lantana, Senna and Ochna weeds.

Once they are mature, they are relatively deer proof because they keep their lateral branches close to the ground. They also make excellent hedges.

We have been germinating them and have enough plants to replace the invasive Cape Honeysuckle hedge alongside Doran House.