Acacia mearnsii
Black Wattle
Technical information
Height: 5-15m, Width: 6-10m
Habit & Growth rate: Fast growing medium, mostly broad tree with angled and finely hairy branchlets, nitrogen fixing tree useful for remediation of degraded sites. The bark often exuding gum. Common in open-forests and cleared areas, especially on drier shallow soils. Grown for its rapid growth rate and quick screening when young. Considered to be moderately to long loved Acacia up to 15 years. Sensitive to waterlogged soils.
Foliage: A. mearnsii flowers September to December, strongly scented pale yellow balled flowers in dense racemes. If seed collection is needed seed only remains on the tree for a few days maturing around December.
Comments:
The distribution of species occurs on coastal lowlands and adjacent tablelands and ranges in south-eastern Australia. It extends from near Sydney, to the south-eastern corner of South Australia.
Provenance variation has been documented in this species, Mt William grows in the main Greenvale Provenance.
All plant dimensions are estimates only and ultimate size and growth rates will depend on growing conditions, particularly when used in some urban environments. All estimates are based around a 20-year time frame. With maturity most species will grow larger.
Reference: Costermans L. F. Native trees and shrubs of South Eastern Australia.
Flora of Melbourne: Hyland House Publishing House, Editors, Marilyn Gray and John Knight.
Horticultural Flora of South-Eastern Australia Volume 3: Roger Spencer.
Boland DJ, Brooker MIH, Chippendale GM, Hall N, Hyland BPM, Johnson RD, Kleinig DA, McDonald MW, Turner JD (2006) Forest Trees of Australia. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood.
All plant dimensions are estimates only and ultimate size and growth rates will depend on growing conditions, particularly when used in some urban environments.