Acacia viscidula in * National Botanical Gardens *
Canberra, Australia Capital Territory, Australia * – April 2011
Acacia viscidula: Sticky Wattle
Common Names: Sticky Wattle
Taxonomy: Kingdom: Plantae; Fabaceae, Mimosoideae; Acacia viscidula.
Location/Environment: The viscidula is found mainly on the Tablelands north from Tamworth and west to Mt. Kaputar National Park eastward to Tenterfield and principally in the Darling Downs of south-eastern Queensland as well as adjacently in New South Wales, extending inland in Queensland to the Injune area as well as New South Wales to the Coonabarabran areas. Most common in upland granitic derived soils in low woodlands or dry scherophyll forests and in heath within crevices of granite outcrops with Acacia and Eucalyptus species plentiful nearby.
Description:
The “sticky wattle” is named after its viscous sticky nature. A small erect tree or more properly classified as a spreading ornamental shrub, the viscidula grows to a height of approximately 1-5 meters (6-12 feet) tall and 4-6 feet wide. It is very fast growing. It has smooth grey to greyish brown bark; It has angular or flattened, ribbed, hairy, and usually puberulous resinous branches with linear incurved ascending phyllodes that are approximately 4-8 centimeters long and 1-3 millimeters wide. It is often described as curved-acute to mucronate or apiculate, usually innocuous, thin, puberulous, or glabrous with three to seven distant impressed resinous nerves and occasional anastomoses. It inflorescences simple with 1-2 per axil, giving to 2-6 mm long peduncles that are puberulous; and 4-5.5 mm diameter globular heads giving to 20-35 light to bright yellow golden flowers which flower between August and October. Its flowers are 4-5 merous with free to half united sepals. It has linear pods sometimes curved containing puberulous longitudinal oblong raised over glossy dark brown seeds that are approximately 4-7.5 centimeters long by 2.5-3 millimeters wide; aril is terminal.
Cultivation:
It is hardy surviving moderate frosts upwards of 25 degrees fahrenheit or minus 4 degrees celsius; requires well-drained soil for best growing success. It is ideal in light to full sun or partially shady conditions for fastest growth. It is drought tolerant once taken growth. To prepare the seeds, pour boiling water over the seeds and soak overnight, cover lightly with seed mix or washed river sand, drench seeds with a fungicide to prevent damping off. It can also be propogated from cuttings.
Common Uses: Ornamental shrub.
Culinary: ~ currently unknown.
Medicinal: ~ currently unknown.
Folklore and Magic: ~ currently unknown.
Mythology:~ currently unknown.
NOTE: This article is in constant state of research, updating, and evolution. If you have information to add, please submit to [email protected]
Photos from:
Australian National Botanical Gardens*
Canberra, Australia Capital Territory, Australia *
Bibliography and Recommended Reading:
- Absolute Astronomy ~ Acacia viscidula; by unknown author; notes taken from web site in 2011; Absolute Astronomy; www.absoluteastronomy.com.
- Australian Native Plants Society ~ Acacia viscidula; by unknown author; notes taken from web site in 2011; ANPSA; www.anpsa.org.au.
- Australia Plants ~ Acacia viscidula. Website referenced January 2012. http://www.australianplants.com.
- Gardenology ~ Acacia viscidula. Website referenced January 2012. http://www.gardenology.org.
- Plant Net ~ Acacia viscidula; website referenced January 2012. http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au.
- Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust ~ Acacia viscidula; by unknown author; notes taken from web site in 2011; RBGSYN: www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au.
- Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia ~ Acacia viscidula; by unknown author; notes taken from web site in 2011; wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org.
- World Wide Wattle ~ Viscidula; website referenced January 2012. http://www.worldwidewattle.com.
- Yallaroo ~ Acacia viscidula; website referenced January 2012. http://www.yallaroo.com.au.
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