Sysygium ‘Cascade’ (hybrid of S. leuhmanii and S. wilsonii)
If you like pink fluffy anything… like I do… then you will love this little shrub!
I have grown it in luscious soft soil, god-awful hard clay, full sun, or full shade… and it seems to take just about anything! The ones in the semi-shade with the softer soil grew faster though. But fast…WOW! It only grows to about 2.5 to 3m but I’ve found it is in a super hurry to grow up – and gets to its full height in only 2 yrs or so!
And colour! All year! First it rewards you with ever-changing foliage colours of new-growth pinks, golds, and lime and then turns to rich dark greens as the leaves mature. Foliage is weeping but can be pruned into a hedge or alternatively, shaped into a little tree.
Flowers arrive in late Spring and shower the ground underneath with a fine carpet of shell-pink stamens. These are followed by bunches of little pink fruits my friend’s children call ‘Bush Apples’. Yes – they are quite edible and also make excellent jam! Even the young bunches of green fruit look good in floral art.
So, if you want a privacy screen – or a fast way to hide an ugly shed, – and you want flowers, colour, fruit and a natural butterfly and bird attracter – Plant a Cascade Lilly Pilly
