Genus Acacia, commonly known as wattle trees, were introduced into England soon after British settlement in New South Wales in 1788. They immediately proved popular, and different species were introduced to England and other European countries over time. There are over 1000 native Acacia species that grow in a wide range of conditions and regions in Australia. Here are some of the most popular wattle tree varieties that will add a burst of colour to your garden.
Wattle trees have many redeeming features, which is why they are one of the most popular Australian native trees. Australian Acacia wattle trees are:
Wattles grow well in any sunny to semi-shaded spot. They have an excellent tolerance to extremes of cold and heat. However, if your location is prone to heavy frost, seek out an indigenous species in your area, as they are usually more robust growers.
Wattles can cope with various soil types, but they must be free-draining. Hence, don’t plant trees in areas that are slow to drain after heavy rainfall.
It would be best if you watered young wattle trees regularly while they’re establishing. Once settled, they are hardy, water-wise plants relying on natural rainfall. During drought and heatwaves, watering will keep them happy.
Feeding wattles is unnecessary as they can ‘fix’ their nitrogen. However, if you plant them among other natives, a low-phosphorus native plant food or a small amount of blood and bone will benefit their growth.
While plants are young and directly after flowering, tip pruning helps keep wattles bushy and compact, prolongs their life, and removes seed heads. Tree trimming will extend the life of older trees and keep their bushy shape; however, avoid heavy pruning. Applying a layer of chunky bark or natural leaf litter over the soil (but away from the trunk) will conserve soil moisture, keep roots cool, and restrict weed growth.
Here are some of the more popular wattle tree varieties in Australia:
Rough wattle is a small spreading shrub that grows up to 2 metres high. Native to Victoria and New South Wales, this yellow wattle tree’s flowers appear from July to November. It is moderately frost-hardy, suitable for planting in most parts of southern Australia and ideal for small gardens.
Drummond’s Wattle is native to Western Australia. Its bright golden yellow flowers appear from July to October. Moderately frost-hardy, it is excellent as a garden shrub in temperature regions.
A spreading shrub that grows one to two metres high, it is native to South Australia and typically grows in the southern Flinders Rangers, although it is suited to most parts of south-eastern Australia. Its flowers are bright golden yellow and appear from August to October.
This is a golden wattle tree native to Victoria, New South Wales, and South Australia. It is a small spreading shrub that grows between one and 2.5 metres high. Masses of deep yellow flowers appear in spring. The tree is moderately frost-hardy and suitable for small gardens around south-eastern Australia.
Acacia fimbriata more commonly known as the Brisbane Golden Wattle or the fringed wattle is native to Australia’s east coast. Growing up to 7 metres high, it usually flowers between July and November with spherical flowers.
This 3-metre-tall shrub has blue-grey foliage and is native to Queensland, the Northern Territory, and Western Australia. Yellow flowers appear in spikes between April and July. It is suitable for small gardens but is not frost-hardy, so it suits tropical and subtropical regions.
Acadia rossei is native to Western Australia and is a spectacular shrub suitable for dry sandy areas in temperature areas of the country. Growing up to five metres high, it flowers from July to November with deep golden-yellow blooms.
This small spreading tree grows up to three metres high and is suitable for small gardens in most parts of south-eastern Australia. Native to New South Wales, it grows up to three metres high, and bright golden-yellow flowers appear from October to December.
This is one of the wattle tree types native to Victoria and New South Wales. It grows as a shrub or as an erect tree up to four metres high. It is mostly frost-hardy, and its bright yellow flowers appear from August to October.
Native to Queensland, the ACT, New South Wales and Victoria, it is suitable for most parts of south-eastern Australia. Flowers form in miniature, golden-yellow globular heads from July to November. This wattle makes a stunning display when multiple plants are grown closely together.
This erect or spreading tree grows up to four metres or as a shrub. Native to South Australia,
Flowers in small, short, spike-like groups of 6-12 globular heads, creamy yellow, appear principally in March. Moderately frost-hardy. Suitable for temperate regions.
Native to Queensland and New South Wales, Acacia spectabilis is a shrub or small tree that grows up to four metres. It has bluish-grey leaves and stems and produces bright golden-yellow flowers between July and October. When planted en masse in Australia, these brilliant flowers make it a superb garden plant.
Native to New South Wales, the Hairy Wattle gets its name from its densely hairy leaf stems. It is a spreading shrub that grows up to four metres, and golden yellow flowers appear from September to October. Moderately frost hardy, it is a popular garden shrub ideal for temperature regions.
Native to Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, and the Northern Territory, this spreading shrub grows up to five metres. Its leaf stems are bluish-green, and its flowers are mid-yellow and appear from June to August. It is suitable for dry regions devoid of frosts.
Another Queensland native, the Zig-zag Wattle, is a shrub that grows up to five metres and doesn’t tolerate frosts, making it more suitable for subtropical regions. Golden yellow flowers appear from July to August.
This broom-shaped tree grows up to six metres, and is native to Queensland and New South Wales. Flowers that are deep golden yellow appear from April to November. Regarding wattle trees, it is one of the most brilliant and renowned for its flowers and young coppery foliage.
The Elephant Ear Wattle is native to the Northern Territory and Western Australia and won’t withstand frost. It grows as a small tree or open shrub and rarely rises higher than six metres. Noted for its novelty value due to its big, elephant-ear-shaped grey-green leaves, it favours tropical and subtropical regions.
This spreading tree grows up to seven metres, and is native to Queensland and New South Wales. It has densely hairy, silvery-grey leaf stems and bright golden-yellow flowers from July to October. It can be used as a garden specimen in temperature regions but sometimes can be invasive.
Native to the Northern Territory, it is not frost-hardy, so it is only suitable for tropical and subtropical regions. Its bright golden yellow flowers bloom in spikes up to five centimetres long from April to July.
This wattle is native to New South Wales and indigenous to the escarpment country near the Bendethra Caves between Batemans Bay and Cooma. It can grow up to 7.5 metres high as a shrub or tree. Its flowers are golden yellow and appear from August to September. Although a relative newcomer to cultivation, it is popular with gardeners and suitable for most parts of south-eastern Australia.
These wattle trees are essential in arid Australia where they are suitable for gardens, streets and parks. They are also native to Queensland, New South Wales, Northern Australia, Western Australia and South Australia. They are erect or spreading trees that are usually around eight metres tall but can reach 18 metres depending on their sub-species. Flowers are golden yellow, appear in three-centimetre spikes, and are evident from June to September.
This fast-growing tree is native to Queensland, Victoria, and New South Wales. It is used as a screening plant and is suitable for temperate regions. It grows well along creeks and rivers. A spreading tree that grows up to eight metres in height, its flowers are creamy yellow and grow in three to five-centimetre spikes, appearing from July to September.
This is a widely cultivated species in northern Australia. It is suitable for tropical and subtropical regions and is also useful for shelter and soil erosion control. Native to Queensland, Western Australia, and Queensland, it is an erect or spreading tree that grows up to eight metres. Its flowers are golden yellow and appear in spikes three to eight centimetres long from June to August.
These wattle trees are hardy, long-living, and well-suited to sandy, hard soils in southern Australia between far western Victoria and eastern Western Australia. They are spreading trees growing up to eight metres, and their pale golden yellow flowers usually appear from August to October but sometimes during other months.
Ovens Wattle is moderately frost-hardy and native to Victoria, New South Wales, and the ACT. It is a spreading tree that grows up to eight metres. Its flowers are small globular yellow heads that appear from August to October. It is ideal for gardens and shelter.
As Australia’s National Floral Emblem, this wattle is always worthy of planting and does well in temperate regions where severe frosts are absent. A local “strain” of the Golden Wattle in the Canberra region will survive frigid winters. Still, the usual form from Victoria and South Australia and Victoria might not unless it is well protected. Its flowers are bright golden-yellow and appear from July to October. This small, spreading tree can grow up to eight metres under good conditions.
This is a prevalent species because of its weeping foliage. It is native to Victoria (South Gippsland Region), very versatile and can also be clipped into a hedge or used as a screen plant. These wattle trees are moderately frost-hardy and also suitable for temperate regions. Trees grow up to nine metres with stunning bright green foliage that looks like it’s been varnished. Flowers are creamy-yellow and appear from August to November.
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References
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