Acacia dealbata – Silver Wattle
Racemes of yellow balls of stamens over blue-green leaves with silvered underside in early spring.
Habit:
This is a fast growing, evergreen tree to 30M, that grows readily from seed. It is closely related to the official flower of Australia which is the Golden Wattle (Acacia pycnantha). The specific name”dealbata” means whitened, referring to the silvery underside to the leaves which are actually phyllodes (expanded petioles). For comparison our Silver Fern is Cyathia dealbata.
Origins:
A. dealbata is native to SE Australia and is amember of the pea family (Fabaceae, or sometimes Leguminosae). In the wild they are short-lived, pioneer plants, often colonising after fire where they act as nursery plants. It is described as an environmental weed in New Zealand, meaning that it is controlled on DOC land.
Soil / Aspect:
A. dealbata is tolerant of a broad range of conditions. However it is primarily adapted to cope with hot, dry climates and will not stand sustained frost. It is widely distributed in Karin’s Garden , though not generally planted in private gardens due to its size.
Maintenance:
If you are lucky enough to have one of these near your house, you may have to weed out seedlings periodically.