BLAKE’S WATTLE
Acacia blakei
Common in the northern NSW
tablelands and southern QLD,
Blake’s wattle grows in soils derived
from shale. As with many
wattles, this species does not
have true leaves when mature.
They are reduced and the leaf
stems form large flattened
‘phyllodes’ that play the part of
true leaves.SPIKE WATTLE
Acacia oxycedrus
Short, pointed leaves give this
tree its common name – and a
painful shock to those who
venture too close. As with other
wattles, each hairy-looking
‘flower’ is actually an inflores-
cence of many small flowers
blooming together. The
pale-yellow, cylindrical inflores-
cences of A. oxycedrus extend
beyond its short leaves. This is a
spreading shrub that can grow to
about 10m across.MYRTLE WATTLE
Acacia myrtifolia
Common along
Australia’s south-east
coast and parts of southern WA,
this medium-sized shrub grows
to about 2m in height. Because it
has red branches contrasted
against pale-cream flowers, it is
sometimes called the ‘red-
stemmed wattle’. As with most
acacias, the seeds have a fleshy
covering – the aril – which
attracts ants.SCARLET BLAZE
Acacia leprosa
Most wattles, including the
majority of individuals of this
species, have yellow flowers.
But a form with pink flowers
was discovered in 1995 in north-
eastern Melbourne. The Royal
Botanic Gardens cultivated the
scarlet variety from seeds and it
is now a popular garden variety.
Also known as the cinnamon
wattle, because of the scent
of its leaves, it’s the only
Australian acacia with
red flowers.
NATUR E WATCH