Australian Native Plants

  Acacia cardiophylla (Wyalong Wattle)


Acacia cardiophylla photo
Acacia cardiophylla at Royal Botanic Gardens, Cranbourne, Victoria

Photograph by Melburnian. Some rights reserved.    (view image details)




WYALONG WATTLE FACTS

distribution map showing range of Acacia cardiophylla in Australia

Map is from The Atlas of Living Australia web site, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia License


Common Name
Wyalong Wattle

Other Names
West Wyalong wattle

Description
The Wyalong Wattle is an erect or spreading shrub that grows to about 2 m, to 3 m in height. The bark is smooth and dark grey or mottled brown. The greyish-green leaves are fern-like (bipinnate) and soft in texture. The plant produces bright yellow flowers in late winter and spring from August to November. The flower clusters are up to 6 cm long with groups to 6 to 21 flower heads. The spherical flower-heads have a diameter of up to 5 mm. The seed pods are flat and straight or slightly curved, with papery or leathery texture, growing up to about 11 cm long and about 6 mm long.

Habitat
The Wyalong Wattle is found in Eucalyptus woodland and mallee, on stony hills and ridges in shallow rocky sandy soils.

Distribution
The Wyalong Wattle is native to central and southern New South Wales. It has also now become naturalized on the Central Coast and Southern Tablelands regions.

Growth Characteristics
Height: 1m - 3m
Spread: 1m - 1.5m

Propagation
scarified seed

Wildlife Interest
attracts seed-eating and insect-eating birds

Classification
Class:Magnoliopsida
Order:Fabales
Family:Mimosaceae
Genus:Acacia
Species:cardiophylla
Common Name:Wyalong Wattle


Relatives in same Genus
  Acacia acanthoclada
  Acacia acinacea
  Acacia acradenia
  Acacia aculeatissima
  Acacia alata
  Acacia amblygona
  Acacia amoena
  Acacia aneura
  Acacia aulacocarpa
  Acacia auriculiformis
  Acacia baileyana
  Acacia beckleri
  Acacia boormanii
  Acacia brachybotrya
  Acacia brachystachya
  Acacia buxifolia
  Acacia caesiella
  Acacia calamifolia
  Acacia chrysocephala
  Acacia cognata
  Acacia colei
  see A-Z list for more ...