Silver Wattle

The Silver Wattle, Acacia dealbata, is endemic to parts of Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales.

Credit: wtlandcare.org

   

 Some accidental or deliberate naturalization has occurred in other states and in some other countries, where it is commonly referred to as Mimosa.

Silver Wattles can be found growing in a range of soils on roadsides, beside creeks, open forests and in parks and gardens. It is a fast-growing tree that usually has a 30-40 year lifespan. Silver Wattles often colonize quickly after a fire event.

    There are almost 1000 species of acacia and many can be hard to identify. The Silver Wattle has bluish-grey foliage and sometimes a whiteish appearance on the branchlets, giving its common name. It is very similar in appearance to the Black Wattle, A.mearnsii,  but the large globular flowers of the Silver Wattle usually appear earlier in late winter than the Black Wattle.

    The branchlets of the Silver Wattles have small raised glands at the junction of each pair of leaf-stalks. (Black Wattles have glands distributed randomly along the branchlets). 

L: Bee on a flower   R: Uniformly-spaced glands at junctions of pinnae

          The Silver Wattle regenerates readily from seeds and rhizomes, and is capable of re-sprouting after being cut. Like all wattles, it has nitrogen-fixing bacteria in its root nodules, making it a valuable fertilizing species for other native trees and shrubs.

             Several species of cockatoos and parrots enjoy eating the seeds when they appear in their flattened pods. The gum is a favourite food of the Sugar Glider. Being prone to attack by grubs, Silver Wattles are often seen with holes that have been chewed by Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos in search of a juicy larvae. The diminutive Yellow Thornbill can often be found in the ‘feathery foliage’ of the Silver Wattle rather than the eucalypt canopy preferred by most other thornbills.

L: Yellow Thornbill (Balfour Rd)  R: Black Cockatoo and its excavation in a young wattle

    Silver Wattles are found on roadsides in and around Drouin – Balfour Rd – parks, gardens and reserves – Bellbird Park – etc.