Acacia dealbata (Silver Wattle)
Fast-growing, Acacia dealbata (Silver Wattle) is an evergreen shrub or small tree of loose and architectural habit with a high canopy of finely divided blue-green to silver gray leaves, 3-5 in. long (7-12 cm). The foliage remains appealing all year round. In late winter to early spring, clouds of fragrant, ball-shaped, fluffy yellow flowers held in large racemes appear on the branch tips.
Fast-growing, Acacia dealbata (Silver Wattle) is an evergreen shrub or small tree of loose and architectural habit with a high canopy of finely divided blue-green to silver gray leaves, 3-5 in. long (7-12 cm). The foliage remains appealing all year round. In late winter to early spring, clouds of fragrant, ball-shaped, fluffy yellow flowers held in large racemes appear on the branch tips. The bark is smooth, gray-green to dark gray, becoming fissured with age. Short-lived (50 years), this is one of the hardiest acacias. It is commonly grown by the cut-flower industry both for its foliage and flowers.
- Recipient of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society.
- Grows up to 40-50 ft. tall and wide (12-15 m). This plant spreads via rhizomes and seeds, and easily resprouts after being cut.
- Performs best in full sun in neutral to acid, well-drained soils in a sheltered location.
- A charming addition to beds and borders, wall-side borders, city gardens, Mediterranean gardens, cottage gardens or containers. Good for erosion control on hillsides. Excellent cut flowers.
- Prune immediately after flowering.
- Generally trouble-free, but keep an eye out for glasshouse red spider mite, fluted scale and mealybugs. Deer resistant.
- Propagate by seed or semi-hardwood cuttings.
- Native to Tasmania, Australia.
- Find where this species is invasive in the United States.
Requirements
Hardiness | 9 – 11 |
---|---|
Heat Zones | 1 – 11 |
Climate Zones | 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 |
Plant Type | Shrubs, Trees |
Plant Family | Acacia |
Exposure | Full Sun |
Season of Interest | Spring (Early,Mid,Late)Summer (Early,Mid,Late)FallWinter |
Height | 40' – 50' (12m – 15m) |
Spread | 40' – 50' (12m – 15m) |
Water Needs | Low |
Maintenance | Low |
Soil Type | Loam, Sand |
Soil pH | Acid, Neutral |
Soil Drainage | Well-Drained |
Characteristics | Fragrant, Plant of Merit, Showy, Evergreen |
Native Plants | Australia |
Tolerance | Deer, Drought |
Attracts | Birds |
Garden Uses | Banks and Slopes, Beds and Borders, Patio and Containers, Wall-Side Borders |
Garden Styles | City and Courtyard, Informal and Cottage, Mediterranean Garden |