Family Index

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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.