Varnished Wattle
  1. Tree Alliance
  2. Varnished Wattle

Varnished Wattle

Acacia verniciflua

Scientific Name

Acacia verniciflua

Family Name

MIMOSACEAE

Common Name

Varnished Wattle

General Information

Height 3.0m - 5.0m (300-500cm)
Flowers Tiny flowers which appear to be dense fluffy balls occurring singly on a flowering stem.
Fruit Seed pods
Form Shrub, usually straggly
Municipalities Break O'Day; Burnie; Central Coast; Central Highlands; Circular Head; Derwent Valley; Devonport; Dorset; Flinders Island; Georgetown; Glamorgan-Spring Bay; Glenorchy; Hobart; Huon Valley; Kentish; Kingborough; Latrobe; Launceston; Meander Valley; Northern Midlands; Southern Midlands; Tasman; Waratah-Wynyard; West Coast
Communities Montane Vegetation; Wet Eucalypt Forest
Habitat Notes Widespread and abundant in damp shady places.Occasional in lower, drier habitats.
Site Tolerance Dry; Moist; Rocky; Shady
Frost Tolerance Hardy
Soil Tolerance Clay; Fertile; Loam; Poor; Sandy; Well-drained
General Notes Useful in providing low level shelter (up to 4m) in mixed species windbreaks. Useful in soil erosion control as fibrous roots help bind the soil. Also useful in improving soil fertility. Will regenerate naturally from seed particularly following fire.Resistant to Phytophthora cinnamomi. Susceptible to browsing by hares and rabbits. Koori (mainland) use: Reputedly used to stupefy fish to enable easy capture. Not suitable below powerlines.

Propagation Details

Flowering Months
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Seed Collecting Months
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Sowing Months
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Cutting Months
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Seed Information

Seed Collection Brown pod straight , sticky,flattened, constricted between the seeds.releases seed immediately on maturity.pick pods just as they start to dry and change colour. spread on sheets. sieve to isolate
Seed Treatment Method Boiling water
Seed Storage Life Long
Viable Seeds Per Gram 63
Seed Treatment Notes Propagation from scarified seed. Pour boiliing water over seed and allow to soak for 24 hours before sowing. Alternatively boil the seed for 30 secs before plunging into cold water and sowing.
Germination Time 2-3 weeks
Suitable For Direct Seeding Yes

Cuttings

Cutting Notes Too hard and strike rate too low to bother.Most Acacias are readily propagated by seed. Cuttings are possible with "phyllode bearing" Acacias, more so than with "feathery leaved" species.