An Australian Government Initiative [logo]
Information about Australia's flora - Wattles, genus Acacia
 ANBG logo
Home > Gardens | CANBR > Botanical Information > Acacia

Photo of Acacia baileyanaAcacia baileyana

Cootamundra Wattle

Description: Small tree or large shrub to 10 m high by 6 m across. Leaves are grey, bipinnate and leaflets are linear. Profuse, gold, ball-shaped flowers occur in late winter. Pods are bluish when young.
Two other foliage forms are in cultivation. One has purplish leaves and has been known as Acacia baileyana var. purpurea, the other has yellowish tips.
Distribution: NSW, but naturalised as an environmental weed in other areas of Australia and overseas. A prohibited pest plant in the ACT under the Pest Plants and Animals (Pest Plants) Declaration 2005 (No 1).
Propagation: From scarified seed or boiling water treatment, or cuttings of fancy foliage types.
Cultivation: A very hardy plant in a sunny situation. Suited to most soils. Flowers sporadically in Brisbane but profusely in southern areas. Good fast-growing screen plant. Purple foliage form is useful foliage contrast.
Special horticultural attributes:

© Text derived from the Acacia sections of the 4th edition of Australian Native Plants by John Wrigley and Murray Fagg, published in 1996 by Reed Books Pty Ltd; with further updates made online