Fauna
Plant · GBIF taxon 3184108

Brush Cherry

Syzygium paniculatum

Also known as Magenta Lilly Pilly, Magenta Cherry, Scrub Cherry

Brush cherries form dense, glossy canopies throughout coastal rainforest remnants, producing vibrant flushes of bronze-red new foliage alongside clusters of fluffy white blossoms. Flying foxes, pigeons, and honeyeaters flock to the heavy summer fruiting display, serving as vital dispersers for the fleshy magenta fruits across fragmented habitats. Though widely cultivated as an ornamental hedge around the world, wild populations in eastern Australia face severe declines from clearing and coastal development.

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Brush Cherry reference1 / 7
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VulnerableConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXVulnerableRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & prey
  • Autotrophic
Predators
  • Grey-headed Flying Fox
  • Topknot Pigeon
  • Satin Bowerbird
ThreatsHabitat fragmentation, residential coastal development, invasive weed invasion, myrtle rust
HabitatsSubtropical rainforest, littoral rainforest, coastal gallery forests
Life span50–100+ years
Classification
  1. OrderMyrtales
  2. FamilyMyrtaceae
  3. GenusSyzygium
  4. SpeciesSyzygium paniculatum
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Wild berries have toxic look-alikes; never eat based on app identification alone.
What to notice
Recognized by opposite, dark green elliptic leaves tapering at the base, flushes of red new growth, and fleshy magenta or purple fruit.
Support conservation
Avoid picking fruit, snapping branches, or disturbing soil around wild root systems in native littoral rainforest reserves.
Responsible observation
  • Garden Observation: Look for delicate, powder-puff white blossoms attracting native bees during late spring and summer.
  • Foliage Inspection: Check the undersides of leaves and new pinkish shoots for psyllid galling or fungal myrtle rust pustules.
Related species
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