SafePlants

Acacia floribunda: White Sally Wattle, Gossamer Wattle, Sally Wattle

Acacia floribunda is a perennial evergreen shrub or small tree, appreciated for its abundant yellow flowers and graceful form.

Considerations for Pets

• The text mentions that Acacia floribunda can cause pollen allergies.

Considerations for Children

• The text mentions that Acacia floribunda can cause pollen allergies.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Scientific Name: Acacia floribunda (Vent.) Willd.
• Common Names: White Sally Wattle, Gossamer Wattle, Sally Wattle, White Sallow-wattle, Catkin Acacia
• Family: Leguminosae-Mimosoideae (also listed as Mimosaceae/Leguminosae in other references)
• Synonyms: Mimosa floribunda Vent., Acacia angustifolia Lodd., Acacia intermedia Hook.
• Taxonomic Rank: Species
• Varieties: Acacia floribunda var. latifolia Benth., Acacia longifolia var. floribunda (Vent.) Benth

Distribution and Habitat

• Native to New South Wales, Queensland, and Victoria, Australia.
• Naturalized beyond its native range in southern parts of central and western Victoria.
• Found in woodland and forest environments.

Morphological Characteristics

• Grows as a tall, dense shrub or small tree, typically reaching a height of 4-8 meters and a width of 2-15 meters.
• Branches are commonly pendulous.
• Phyllodes (modified leaf stalks that function as leaves) are long, narrow, and dark green, reaching up to 15cm in length. Some references describe them as linear to narrowly elliptical.
• Produces abundant scented yellow flowers in late winter or spring. The flowers are often described as pale yellow to cream and arranged in long spikes.
• Twigs are sharply angled and can be glabrous (smooth) to densely hairy.

Ecological Role

• The text suggests that it is naturalized, thus alien, to Western Australia.
• Can be used as a fast-growing screen plant.

Interactions with Other Organisms

• The text mentions respiratory allergies to pollen of this species in some Mediterranean areas of Italy and France.

Growth Habits

• Evergreen
• Fast-growing
• Frost hardy
• Tolerates wet conditions and coastal sites.

Further Information

• Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust: http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/
• Discover Life: Discover Life's page about Acacia floribunda - Gossamer Wattle
• USDA Plants Database
• Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Herbarium
• The Plant List
• IPNI (International Plant Names Index)
• Australian Plant Name Index
• NYBG (New York Botanical Garden) Virtual Herbarium