Key Facts
- Native to eastern Australia including parts of New South Wales and Queensland
- Has fernlike phyllodes rather than true leaves
- Produces bright yellow globular flower heads in late winter to spring
- Forms a small to medium upright tree habit
- Prefers full sun for best flowering
- Tolerates poor, well drained soils and periods of drought
- Easily propagated by seed after scarification or hot water treatment
- Used in revegetation and as an ornamental for screening and native gardens
Fern-Leaf Wattle Tree is a small to medium Australian native with fernlike phyllodes and bright yellow globular flowers that appear in late winter into spring. It suits native gardens and screening where full sun and well drained soil are available.
Identification
Acacia filicifolia makes a compact upright tree often reaching about 3 to 9 meters tall with a similar mature spread. The foliage is made of divided fernlike phyllodes rather than true leaves and the blooms are round yellow flower heads produced in late winter into spring in its native range.
Where to grow and best uses
This species is used in revegetation projects and as an ornamental for screening or native garden plantings because it tolerates poor soils and periods of drought. Plant where it can get full sun for the best flowering and allow enough room for a moderately spreading crown that provides light shade and privacy.
Planting season and spacing
Plant during the cooler, wetter season in your locality so young roots can establish before hot dry periods. Space plants to allow a mature spread of about 3 to 7.5 meters or 10 to 25 feet so crowns do not crowd and air movement remains good around the tree.
Soil and light
Choose a well drained site. The tree adapts to poor sandy or rocky soils and prefers slightly acidic to neutral pH. It grows best in full sun and will tolerate some light shade but flowering will be reduced if plants are shaded for long periods.
Watering and drought response
Keep young trees watered until established to encourage deep rooting. Once established plants tolerate drought and show little decline in dry spells. Poor drainage or prolonged waterlogging leads to root decline and reduced vigor so avoid heavy clay sites that hold water.
After flowering care and pruning
After the main display prune lightly to shape and remove dead wood while avoiding heavy cuts that remove the scaffold branches. Pruning to maintain a single trunk or to open the crown will control spread and help prevent dense shade beneath the tree that can suppress other plants.
Propagation
The species is most easily raised from seed after treating the hard seed coat by scarification or hot water treatment to improve germination. Selected clones can be propagated from semi hard wood cuttings using rooting hormone but seed is the common and reliable method for most plantings.
Controlling spread and naturalizing
The tree forms a moderately spreading crown and can naturalize where conditions suit it. Manage spread with periodic pruning and by removing unwanted seedlings. Monitor regenerating areas in revegetation plantings to prevent dense stands from forming that could alter understorey planting plans.
Frequently asked questions
- How fast does Fern-Leaf Wattle Tree grow?
- Growth rate varies with soil fertility and moisture and is often moderate to fast in favorable conditions where water and nutrients are adequate.
- How big does Fern-Leaf Wattle Tree get?
- Typical mature size is about 3 to 9 meters tall with a spread of roughly 3 to 7.5 meters depending on site and pruning.
- When does it flower?
- Flowers appear in late winter into spring. In the southern hemisphere this is commonly August to October and in the northern hemisphere timing shifts to roughly February to April.
- Is it frost tolerant?
- It tolerates light frost and is generally suitable to USDA zones 9 to 11 but plants may suffer dieback in hard freezes so protection is recommended in colder sites.
- How do I propagate Fern-Leaf Wattle Tree?
- Propagate by seed after scarification or hot water treatment. Semi hard wood cuttings can root with hormone for selected clones but seed treatment gives the most reliable results.
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