\*Syzygium paniculatum\*\*\ 'Newport' is a species that is widely used as a hedge and that few know by its scientific name, it is more common to use 'Eugenia'.\\*
It comes from Australia and is from the Myrtaceae family. It is a shrub that easily reaches 4 or 5 meters high by one or one and a half meters wide. With these characteristics it is a very suitable shrub for making hedges, whether low or high, as it tolerates trimming very well.
It is an evergreen species, this allows us to have a very thick hedge both in summer and winter. Its opposite, simple and slightly obovate leaves narrow at the base of the leaf, have a bright dark green color. The flowering, which occurs between the months of June and September, shows clusters of white flowers. It is not a very floriferous species. The fruit, which is edible and berry-shaped, is purple in color.
Image of Syzygium paniculatum 'Newport'. Source: www.flickr.com
It is a species belonging to hardiness zone number 9, with an average annual minimum temperature range of -6.6 / -1.2°C, this indicates that it is a plant with very little frost tolerance. In fact, with temperatures below 0ºC the tips of the branches wilt and burn from the cold. And with temperatures below -3ºC total death of the plant is possible.
Its light requirements are very broad, as it prefers to be planted in full sun, but still tolerates partial shade. A key factor for making hedge lines in gardens attached to houses.
'Eugenias' tolerate drought, but prefer support watering especially in times of maximum growth such as spring, summer and autumn, where a drip irrigation system can greatly facilitate the establishment of this species. From Sala Graupera we advise doing deep watering especially during the first year of establishment of the shrub, and gradually spacing out the watering.
Other maintenance tasks that this species requires are one or two prunings per year, in this way we will obtain denser specimens and more compact and healthy hedge lines. These prunings can be done in autumn, once flowering has passed, and the second pruning in mid-spring. In this way the plant will not suffer any stress.
Eugenia has very low soil requirements. It can live in all types of substrates from sandy to clay, as long as drainage is good, as it does not tolerate waterlogging. Also tolerant of stony soils. With nutrient-rich substrates its development will be faster.
Our recommendation, for making hedges, is to plant one specimen every 60 centimeters, in this way its long-term development will be benefited.