Care of the tree Acacia saligna or Orange wattle |
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The Acacia genus, of the Fabaceae family, includes some 1,200 species of shrubs and trees native to Australia, Africa, Asia and South America. Some species are: Acacia saligna, Acacia paradoxa, Acacia melanoxylon, Acacia luederitzii, Acacia longifolia, Acacia karoo, Acacia iteaphylla, Acacia greggii, Acacia dodonaeifolia, Acacia dealbata, Acacia cultriformis, Acacia hebeclada, Acacia tortilis, Acacia truncata, Acacia tetragonophylla. Common names: Blue-leafed wattle, Golden wreath wattle, Port Jackson willow or Orange wattle. This species is native to Australia. They are small trees with hanging branches that usually do not exceed 6-8 meters (20-26 feet) in height. The attractive teal or silver-green foliage has long, lanceolate, slightly twisted leaves. The showy and abundant yellow flowers have a globose shape. They bloom in late winter and spring. They are used as isolated specimens, in rows or in small groups. They are ideal plants for Mediterranean coastal gardens due to their tolerance to salinity. Acacia saligna is cultivated in exposures of full sun or semi-shade. It resists frosts of low intensity but it is better that the temperature does not drop below 6 ºC (42.8 ºF). They can be grown in poor, limestone or sandy soils but prefer that they contain a little organic matter. It is important to plant them more than 5 meters from buildings because their strong roots are capable of raising pavements. Water moderately, waiting for the soil to dry. They resist drought well. In late fall they can be composted. It's convenient to prune after flowering to give them a more compact appearance. They are quite resistant to pests and diseases but sometimes they can be attacked by mealybugs. They can propagate from semi-woody cuttings in summer but you have to wait a year before transplanting them; Reproducing them from seeds sown in spring is a simpler process although the seeds should be soaked about 48 hours before sowing. |
Images of the tree Acacia saligna or Orange wattle |
 Acacia saligna  Acacia saligna  Acacia saligna  Acacia saligna  Acacia saligna |