Acacia Acinacea
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Gold Dust Wattle / Round-Leaf Wattle / Gold-Dust Acacia
Botanical Name: Acacia acinacea
Family: Fabaceae
Origin: South-eastern Australia (SA, VIC, NSW)
Plant Type: Evergreen shrub
Overview
Acacia acinacea is a hardy small to medium wattle native to south-eastern Australia. It carries small rounded to obovate phyllodes for a soft, fine native texture, and bursts into masses of golden ball flowers from late winter to spring—bringing colour and pollinators to the garden. Compact and adaptable, it’s ideal for low screening, native borders, and mass planting in SA’s temperate/Mediterranean conditions.
Key Features
- Mature Size: 1.5–3 m H × 2–3 m W (can spread to ~4 m in favourable sites)
- Growth Rate: Fast; typically 30–60 cm/year under good conditions
- Foliage: Small rounded/obovate phyllodes; soft native texture
- Flowers: Golden globular “pom-poms” late winter–spring, profuse displays which have a gentle honey-like scent
- Seasonal Interest: Winter–spring flowering; reliable year-round structure.
- Wildlife Value: Nectar/pollen for insects; habitat for small birds.
- Tolerance: Drought, heat, moderate frost, clay
- Planting Density: Low hedge: 2-3/m (30-50cm apart), Border/mass: 1-1.2m apart, Specimen: 2-3m spacing
- Pet Friendly: Non-toxic to cats & dogs; as with any plant, eating seed pods, bark or large amounts of foliage may cause mild tummy upset—discourage chewing.
Where It Works Best
- Sunlight: Full sun to part shade
- Soil: Well-drained loam or clay loam; tolerates lime; not waterlogged sites
- Water Needs: Establishment: regular deep soaks; Established: low water—occasional deep soak in extended dry spells.
- Maintenance: Light prune after flowering to keep dense; mulch in spring.
- Lifespan: Often long-lived for a shrub (several decades reported).
- Climate Zones: Temperate/Mediterranean SA including 2nd-line coastal sites.
- Soil pH: Neutral, Alkaline soils
Landscape & Design Ideas
- Low screen and native borders
- Mass plant for a cohesive, low-maintenance effect
- Understorey in native gardens
- Habitat plant near paths or outdoor living areas
Why You Will Love It
Fast, tough, and beautiful in winter–spring bloom, this compact wattle offers dependable structure with minimal fuss—perfect for SA gardens.