Acacia dealbata: is known as the Silver Wattle. This name refers to the whitish appearance of the branchlets and bipinnate foliage. Acacia dealbata develops into a tall shrub or small tree. Yellow ball-shaped flowers cover the plant in spring.
Silver Wattle would make a colourful addition to rural shelterbelts or windbreaks. The species is probably too large for many suburban gardens. One well-known writer, of native plants books, has found the Silver Wattle, “hardy but unspectacular”. There have been a number of occasions when we have disagreed with the comments of this author and this is another one.
Acacia dealbata has a wide distribution and occurs in Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales. Silver Wattle is common along roadsides in the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales.
Propagate from seed.
Acacia dealbata is grown in Europe and is known as Mimosa. Sprays are given out to celebrate Mothers’ Day.
Gum Arabic was produced from the material that exudes from the trunk of this Wattle. The bark was used for tanning and the foliage is used for dyeing.
On a visit to the United Kingdom we saw healthy specimens in a garden near the Thames River and in Birmingham Botanic Gardens.
There is a ground covering form known as “Kambah Karpet”. We have seen this dense ground cover growing in the National Botanic Gardens at Canberra.
