Written by Susan – Plant Lover, Adelaide
If you've noticed your Lilly Pilly developing bumpy, pimpled, or puckered leaves — especially on the new growth — you're dealing with one of the most common plant problems in Adelaide gardens. The good news? It's manageable, and most Lilly Pillies recover beautifully with the right treatment.
🔍 What Is Causing the Bumps?
In almost every case, the culprit is psyllids (Trioza eugeniae) — tiny sap-sucking insects that target the new growth of Lilly Pilly plants. The female lays eggs in the developing leaves, and as the larvae feed on the leaf tissue, the leaf puckers and distorts around them, forming those characteristic raised bumps.
You'll typically notice:
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🔴 Bumpy, pimpled, or blistered new leaves
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🔴 Distorted or curled new growth
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🔴 Small raised lumps on the underside of leaves
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🔴 Sticky residue or sooty mould in severe cases
Psyllids are most active during spring flush (September–November) when plants are producing the most new growth. They're almost exclusively a problem on standard Syzygium and Acmena species — the psyllid-resistant cultivars (see below) are largely immune.
💥 How Do I Get Rid of Psyllids?
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🟠 Horticultural oil spray (eco-oil): Spray new growth thoroughly during the active period. This smothers the insects without harming beneficial insects. Repeat weekly for 3–4 weeks.
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🟠 Remove affected growth: Pruning off heavily affected leaves removes the larvae and helps redirect the plant's energy into fresh, clean growth.
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🟠 Systemic insecticide: For severe infestations, a soil-applied systemic insecticide (like imidacloprid) can provide 3–6 months of protection. Use cautiously — systemics affect all sap-feeding insects including beneficial ones.
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🟠 Encourage natural predators: Parasitic wasps, lacewings, and some birds predate psyllids. A garden with diverse plantings will have more natural control.
🛡️ Prevention: Psyllid-Resistant Lilly Pilly Varieties
The most effective solution is to choose varieties that are resistant to psyllid. At Adelaide Plant Co, we stock several psyllid-resistant cultivars:
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🟢 Acmena smithii 'Goodbye Neighbours' — Purpose-bred privacy hedge with strong psyllid resistance and fast growth.
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🟢 Syzygium Australe 'Resilience' — Bred specifically for psyllid resistance with stunning pink new growth.
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🟢 Syzygium Australe 'Up & Away' — Compact upright form with excellent resistance — great for narrow spaces.
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🟢 Acmena smithii 'Allyn Magic' — Highly resistant, compact, and beautiful. One of our favourites.
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🟢 Acmena Smithii 'Sublime' — Dense, fast-growing and resistant — a reliable performer in Adelaide gardens.
💡 If you're establishing a new hedge and psyllid has been a problem in your area, we'd strongly recommend choosing a resistant variety from the outset.
🌱 Will My Lilly Pilly Recover?
Yes, in almost all cases. Psyllid damage looks alarming but is rarely fatal. Once the psyllid activity subsides (usually after the spring flush), affected leaves will be replaced by clean new growth. The plant may look a little rough in November–December but will typically be looking great again by late summer.
Heavily infested plants that have been weakened over several years may need a harder prune to reset and encourage fresh growth from the base.
💡 If your current plant keeps getting hammered each spring, it may be time to replace it with a psyllid-resistant variety — you'll save yourself the annual headache.
💚 Final Thoughts from Susan
"Psyllid is probably the question I get asked about most in spring. It's one of those things that looks really alarming when you first see it — your beautiful hedge suddenly has all these bumpy, ugly leaves. The important thing to know is that your plant is fine. Treat it, or switch to a resistant variety, and you'll be back to a beautiful hedge in no time."
Browse our Lilly Pilly and hedging range — including our psyllid-resistant varieties.
