Acacia (Wattle). In Australia there are over five hundred species ranging in size from
small shrubs to tall trees. All are evergreens with yellow flowers (from brilliant yellow to
pale lemon yellow) and the foliage can be feathery, flat or needle like. They are extremely
fast growing, but their life span is short.
Gardeners in Australia are now very fond of the native species and they are definitely more popular
than the European specimens that were planted here by early settlers. The wattle is extremely hardy
and it is perfectly adapted to our harsh conditions. There are varieties of the wattle growing
all over Australia except in the desert inland regions, where nothing very much grows.
The wattle can be grown in full sun or half sun. The example above is not quite fully grown,
and was situated in full sun. The life span of that particular tree was approximately six
years. It was partially up-rooted during a wild thunder storm and totally finished off by a
small child swinging on the remaining branches. |
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