Acacia melanoxylon: is a member of the Mimosaceae family and is known as Blackwood.
The timber, from Blackwood, is highly valued. It is used in furniture construction and Aboriginal people made shields from the timber.
The phyllodes are 7 to 15 centimetres long by 3 centimetres wide and narrow at both ends with prominent longitudinal veins. The phyllodes have been used for dyeing.
Flower-heads are globular, cream to pale yellow and appear from July to October.
Acacia melanoxylon has wide distribution and is found in all eastern states including Tasmania.
In Tasmania the species is long-lived whilst further north, in Queensland, Blackwood is regarded as short-lived.
Tasmania is the main centre of Blackwood furniture construction.
Acacia melanoxylon is common along the Waterfall Way, east of Armidale in northern New South Wales (this is our part of the world). The plants here develop into small trees with dense crowns.
Blackwood will produce suckers if the roots are damaged.
The species could be used for erosion control as well as cultivated in shelterbelts and windbreaks.
Propagate from seed and possibly cuttings. Seed should be soaked in boiling water before sowing.

Plants