Scientific Name: Acmena smithii - current name Qld.

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  • Pronunciation:
    ak-MEEN-ah smith-ee-eye
  • Common Name:
    Narrow-leaved Lilly pilly
  • Type:
    small to medium Tree
  • Family:
    MYRTACEAE
  • Flowers:
    creamish white, small, stamens numerous, in terminal panicles. Spring Summer
  • Fruit:
    Berry, pale white/pink mauve, to purple, globular with hollow at top. Edible. Ripe May to July
  • Vegetation Type:
    Rainforest and along scrubby watercourses, marginal rainforest
  • Species List:
    Kin Kin Arboretum, Plants for Coastal Gardens, Bush food, FI Podberscek, Boreen Point Caravan Park, Wooroi Day Use Area Tracks, Cooloothin Corner, Fraser Island, Janet, Batianoff 87, NNS, Upper Yandina Creek, Boreen Point, TAFE, NNP Tanglewood, Kin Kin Scrub, Dandaloo, BHNR, Stratford Park, Upper Yandina Creek, Heritage Park
Cultural Notes

TAKE CARE! Some information about bush foods and medicines may be anecdotal. Correct identification and preparation is essential:

Bush food: fruit edible Crisp edible berry. Crunchy, crisp and refreshing on the palate. Eat fresh from the tree or add to fruit salads. Will keep in crisper for a week and may be frozen whole. Can be preserved in a light sugar syrup and will keep for months in a dark place.

Identification Notes

Fruit: Globular with apical cavity. Bark: brown, shedding in patches. Leaf: simple opposite, blade tough, dull dark green above, paler below. Midrib sunken above, lateral veins visible but faint and numerous, intramarginal vein faint; petiole 10-40 mm long. Oil dots distinct.Three forms: normal - leaves large and broad 4-16 cm long, narrow - leaves narrow-oblanceolate 6-9 cm long and small leaved - l eaves 1-4 cm long.

Associated Fauna

Bird and butterfly attracting. Ants like fruit. Butterflies: nectar feeding butterflies, Host plant: Common red-eye, common Oakblue and Eastern flat butterflies.According to Wikipedia "Australian King Parrot, Crimson Rosella, Rose-crowned Fruit-dove, Superb Fruit-dove, Topknot Pigeon, White-headed Pigeon, Wonga Pigeon, Satin Bowerbird, and Pied Currawong have all been recorded eating the berries as well as brushtail possums and flying foxes."

Landscaping Notes

Height can be controlled for landscaping. Noosa Council Preferred Species list. Successfully propagated by Noosa & District Landcare. Fire retardant species. Requires good soil moisture. Colourful flushes of new growth. Extremely hardy. Pruning encourages bright new growth. Useful as tub specimen. Indoor/pot plant potential.Propagation is from seed, ripening from autumn to spring, and germinating readily; and from cuttings. Tolerates poor and clay soils, but requires good drainage and looks best if care for with adequate water. Successfully propagated by Coolum Community Native Nursery.Suitable as an edge plant or windbreak.Successfully propagated by Tin Can Bay City Farm. Successfully propagated by Florabunda Bushcare nursery, Woombye. Successfully propagated by Mooloolah Native Nursery||Successfully propagated by Barung Landcare||