Acacia podalyriifolia
Queensland Silver Wattle
a perennial woody evergreen member of the Acacia genus in the family Leguminosae.
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Leguminosae
- Genus
- Acacia
- Life cycle
- perennial
- Foliage
- evergreen
- Woodiness
- woody
- Height
- 3 m
- Spread
- 3 m
- Flower type
- hermaphrodite
Uses
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Flowers - cooked[4]. Rich in pollen, they are often used in fritters[8]. The flowers have a delicate sweet perfume[10].
- Plant part
- Flowers
Material uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
A yellow dye is obtained from the flowers[7]. A green dye is obtained from the seed pods[7]. When planted on steep slopes or other fragile soil systems, the extensive root system of this plant binds the soil together and helps to prevent erosion[9].
- Product or use
- Dye
Ecology and functions
Environment
- Range
- Australia - New South Wales, Queensland.
- Habitat
- Not known
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- no shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 8+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral
- Drainage
- well drained
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a sunny position in a warm greenhouse[1]. Stored seed should be scarified, pre-soaked for 12 hours in warm water and then sown in a warm greenhouse in March. The seed germinates in 3 - 4 weeks at 25°c[3]. As soon as the seedlings are large enough to handle, prick them out into individual pots and grow them on in a sunny position in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts, and consider giving them some protection from the cold for their first winter outdoors. Cuttings of half-ripe wood with a heel, July/August in individual pots in a frame[12]. Overwinter in a greenhouse for the first winter and plant out in their permanent positions in late spring or early summer. Fair percentage[12].
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Prefers a sandy loam and a very sunny position[1]. Succeeds in any good garden soil that is not excessively limey[2][6]. Many members of this genus become chlorotic on limey soils[9]. Can succeed in a hot dry position in a mixed border[5]. Plants are not very cold-hardy, tolerating temperatures down to about -3°c[11]. They succeed outdoors in the mildest areas of Britain, though even there they can be cut back to the ground in severe winters[1][2]. A very ornamental tree[1], it can be pruned back hard after flowering in order to induce good flowering the following year[11]. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[9].
References
F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00
Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00
Rice. G. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 1. Thompson and Morgan. 1987-00-00
Cribb. A. B. and J. W. Wild Food in Australia. Fontana 1976-00-00 ISBN 0-00-634436-4
Taylor. J. The Milder Garden. Dent 1990-00-00
Holliday. I. and Hill. R. A Field Guide to Australian Trees. Frederick Muller Ltd. 1974-00-00 ISBN 0-85179-627-3
Grae. I. Nature's Colors - Dyes from Plants. MacMillan Publishing Co. New York. 1974-00-00 ISBN 0-02-544950-8
Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994-00-00 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Conservatory and Indoor Plants Volumes 1 & 2 Pan Books, London. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-330-37376-5
Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948-00-00