National Wattle Day

Acacia is the largest genus of trees and shrubs in Australia, with around 900 species. It and the Eucalypts are the most visible "Aussie" plants and characterise our well known vegetation.

Today is our national wattle day and it reminds us yet again that this genus is one of the biggest and most loved and wide spread species of plants in Australia.

It is iconic and this is why Acacia pycnantha appears on our national coat of arms. We have some lovely local to our area wattles and one of my favourites is Acacia imbricata. It is in flower right now.

However my wattle of the day is Myrtle Wattle (Acacia myrtifolia). It is a small shrub that grows to about waist high and has young branches with a red tinge. Leaves are bright green with yellow midrib and a thick yellow beading on the margins.  The leaf edge changes direction at a small gland on the top edge. The flower balls are not quite complete. 

Known colloquially as myrtle wattle or red-stemmed wattle, is a species of Acacia common to the Belair Park. Its specific epithet 'myrtle-leaved' is derived from the Latin myrtus 'myrtle', and folium 'leaf’.

It is unfortunate that wattles have a poor name with some people as not being long lived, compared with many other shrubs. However with its sea of yellow at this time of year, and different varieties hitting their peak at slightly different times, it remains one of my favourite trees.