Golden Acacia, Golden Wattle

An erect or spreading, medium-sized shrub or small tree, usually multi-stemmed from or near ground level, this Australian native acacia is also the country’s floral emblem. This is a very showy wattle and has been chosen as suitable for conditions in the Arriyadh region. It has a smooth or finely fissured, dark brown to greyish bark with angled branchlets and bright-green, sickle-shaped phyllodes. Large, sweetly-scented, golden ball-shaped flowers occur in spring in very dense clusters, providing a vivid contrast to the foliage. Seed pods are straight or curved. Usually growing in the understorey of dry woodland and heath, on sandy and stony soil in open scrub formations, A. pycnantha is tolerant of slightly to moderately saline soil and is also moderately frost-tolerant. It is fast-growing, but tends to be short-lived in cultivation: plants require a well-drained, sunny position with ample watering. The shallow and spreading roots are nitrogen-fixing. Propagation is from scarified seed, pre-soaked in hot water to soften the hard coating. Widely planted as an ornamental, on account of its profusion of flowers, it is a popular garden or feature plant that attracts wildlife. In Australia, trees regenerate freely after fires, which, although killing the plants, help the germination of seed stored in the soil, if rain occurs soon after. Such regeneration may produce dense thickets. Few maintenance measures are necessary A. pycnantha is best pruned to allow multi-stems to develop, since otherwise it may become lanky.