King Billy Pine Plant Care

King Billy Pine (Lomatia tasmanica) belongs to the Proteaceae family within the Lomatia genus. King Billy Pine is native to Tasmania. King Billy Pine is also known as Tasmanian Lomatia.

King Billy Pine displays a tall, upright shrub growth habit, reaching up to 6 ft tall with a spread of approximately 4 ft. King Billy Pine produces small clusters of white or pink flowers.

Leaf size: approximately 4 inches.

Water a young or newly planted King Billy Pine every 7–14 days, soaking the whole root zone, until it is established — usually one to two growing seasons. Established trees mainly need water during long dry spells. In a container, water whenever the top few centimetres of soil are dry.

King Billy Pine thrives in full sun to partial shade.

Lomatia tasmanica tolerates temperatures of 50–80°F. King Billy Pine prefers humidity levels of 40–70%.

Well-draining acidic soil mix with added sand and peat moss. Good drainage is essential for King Billy Pine to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.

Feed King Billy Pine every 6 months during the growing season with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at the rate on the label. Established trees in good soil often need little extra feeding, so let weak growth or pale foliage guide you.

Stop feeding by late summer so new growth can harden before winter.

The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.

Choose a spot with full sun to partial shade and well-draining acidic soil mix with added sand and peat moss. Avoid low spots where water collects after rain.

King Billy Pine is suited to USDA Zone 12a.

Plant container-grown or balled-and-burlapped trees in spring or early autumn, setting the root flare at soil level, and water well after planting.

King Billy Pine can spread to about 4 ft (1.2 m) and reach about 6 ft (2 m) tall. Space plants about 4 ft (1.2 m) apart so mature crowns don't crowd each other, and plant at least half that distance from buildings, fences and paths.

Planning a row or hedge? Try the tree spacing calculator.

Prune King Billy Pine while it is dormant in late winter: first remove dead, damaged and crossing branches, then thin lightly for shape.

If it flowers in spring, prune right after flowering instead so you don't remove next year's buds. Never take off more than about a quarter of the tree in one year.

King Billy Pine is frost-tender (hardy to USDA zone 12). In colder areas grow it in a container and move it to a bright, frost-free place before the first frost.

King Billy Pine can be propagated through seeds, semi-hardwood cuttings. Similar propagation techniques also apply to tree lomatia plant care, which shares the same genus.

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King Billy Pine is susceptible to aphids, scale insects. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.

Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.

King Billy Pine grows outdoors in USDA Zone 12a. It survives winters down to planting zone 12a. King Billy Pine is native to Tasmania. In cooler regions, grow King Billy Pine as a houseplant or bring it indoors before the first frost.