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Acacia spectabilis (Mudgee Wattle) - A very attractive evergreen small tree to 12 feet tall that has silvery-white branches that weep at their tips holding feathery bright green bipinnate leaves - uniquely, these fine bipinnate leaves stay with the plant for its entire lifespan and do not mature into the phyllodes common with most other Acacia. In late winter (March in our garden) appear the attractive small balls of 20 to 35 tiny lightly scented bright yellow flowers whose weight bows down branch tips. Grows well inland and along the coast where it can be plant in full sun to part shade in most any soil from well drained to clay that drains well and is not overly alkaline. Irrigate occasionally to very little - quite drought tolerant once established. It is hardy to around 18°F. Responds well to pruning to shape when young and a light shearing of spent flowers to encourage denser foliage, but avoid cutting into hard wood as this will not resprout. It is an attractive plant year round because of its delicate foliage and beautiful flowers. It is recommended by Jo O'Connell at Australian Native Plant Nursey who notes it to be a very beautiful tree for smaller gardens.
Acacia spectabilis occurs naturally in dry sclerophyll forest and heath in New South Wales and Queensland. The name for the genus comes either from the Greek word "akazo" meaning "to sharpen" or from the Egyptian word "akakia", a name given to the Egyptian Thorn, Acacia arabica. The specific epithet means "showy" in reference to the flowering of this plant. The common name Mudgee is in reference to the town by this name in the fertile Cudgegong River but this plant naturally grows over a wide area west of the Great Dividing Range. Other common names include Glory Wattle, Pilliga Wattle and Golden Wattle.
This plant was first introduced into California by the Santa Barbara's Dr. Francesco Franceschi (AKA Emanuele Orazio Fenzi) in 1910. We thanks Jo O'Connell at Australian Native Plant Nursey for introducing this attractive plant to us and allowing us to use her picture of it.
This information about Acacia spectabilis displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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