If you have been driving around the countryside this month in Victoria you will probably have noticed the glorious splash of sunny yellow wattle flowers. It’s a rather grand pronouncement that spring is not far away. The silver wattle, Acacia dealbata is likely to be one of these species, particularly if your drive took you into the Yarra Valley or the forests in the hills.
It is a fast growing tree that can get to 30m tall and is commonly seen along creek banks where there is reliable moisture. The silver wattle gets its name from is attractive, ferny, silvery foliage which contrasts so well with the clusters of yellow ball shaped flowers that occur from July to October.
Acacia dealbata is a useful landscape plant as a large screen or windbeak planted in groups. It is also a great habitat tree providing food and shelter for a variety of birds and other native animals.