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Image not available.
Scientific Name
Acacia mearnsii
Family Name
MIMOSACEAE
Common Name
Black Wattle
Status
Height
10.0m (1000cm)
Flowers
Pale yellow globular heads of 20-30 flowers
Fruit
Seed pods
Form
Tree
Municipalities
Break O'Day; Brighton; Central Coast; Central Highlands; Circular Head; Clarence; Derwent Valley; Devonport; Dorset; Georgetown; Glamorgan-Spring Bay; Glenorchy; Hobart; Kingborough; Latrobe; Launceston; Meander Valley; Northern Midlands; Sorell; Southern Midlands; Tasman; West Coast; West Tamar
Communities
Dry Eucalypt Forest and Woodland; Grassy Vegetation
Habitat Notes
Frost and drought tolerant but sensitive to fire when young(less than three years). Adapts to a wide range of soils including relatively infertile sites. Will tolerate occasional inundation.
Site Tolerance
Dry; Moist; Shady
Frost Tolerance
Hardy
Soil Tolerance
Fertile; Loam; Poor; Poorly-drained; Well-drained
General Notes
Susceptible to browsing by hares and rabbits. Resistant to Phytophthora cinnamomi Useful as a medium level cover (up to 15m) in windbreaks. A good shade tree, useful in erosion control, due to its quick growth and ability to improve soil quality. Provides important structural diversity for nesting and foraging wildlife.Leaves, flowers, seed pods and bark can be used in dyeing.Important food source for sugar gliders.Often heavily infested with rust galls reducing future seed cropping potential.Koori (mainland) use: It was an important source of gum, which was eaten or dissolved in water with flower nectar to make sweet drinks. When mixed wih burnt mussel shell or wood ashes it formed a cement for water buckets made from the bark of the tree. The bark made fibre for coarse string and infused with water. Not suitable below powerlines.
Propagation Details
Propagation Calendar
Flowering Months
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Seed Collecting Months
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Sowing Months
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Cutting Months
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Seed Information
Seed Collection
Pods dark brown, flat, slightly constricted between seeds.seed commonly dropped in jan/feb. pods may take 14 months to mature.good seed years are infrequent
Seed Treatment Method
Hot water
Seed Storage Life
Long
Viable Seeds Per Gram
110-120
Seed Treatment Notes
Seed extraction is difficult. To successfully extract seed , pod must be just starting to open (listen for seeds rattling). Pour hot water (80-90C) over the seed and allow to soak for 12 hours.
Germination Time
2 weeks - 40 days
Suitable for Direct Seeding
Cuttings
Expected Time to Take Root
Expected Time to Plant Out
Propagation by Division
N.B. Transplant only from nearby to avoid disease.
Cutting Notes
Most Acacias are readily propagated by seed. Cuttings are possible with "phyllode bearing" Acacias, more so than with "feathery leaved" species.
Copyright 2000-2009, Understorey Network Incorporated. Updated 2024-12-11
Database development and website design by
Andrew Smith