Acacia longifolia

It is most unusual to see these exotic looking plants in flower outside of a glasshouse environment, but the acacias were planted in Sheffield Botanical Gardens in the Spring of 2013 and have since thrived, so much so, that they are covered in bud and flowers to welcome the spring.

There are groups in the Australian bed of the Mediterranean Climate Garden (area L on the downloadable map). One group is Acacia dealbata, the silver wattle, with its beautiful fern like foliage which is evergreen. It has delightful golden fragrant flowers just like puffballs when in full flower, produced in panicles. The buds may remain for some weeks, before a fine warm day, when they will suddenly burst into flower. Some of these acacias are difficult to identify exactly, because the juvenile foliage may be confusing and there are many different varieties of A. dealbata.

Acacia longifolia also known as Sydney Golden Wattle. is easier to identify precisely, because it produces narrow flat leaves and elongated flower spikes. This is an evergreen small tree or shrub, very vigorous in growth. It is, in fact, classed as a weed and has become invasive in Portugal and South Africa. It is native of Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales.