Sim’s wattle
Acacia simsii, Fam. Fabaceae
A medium shrub, 2-4m high, with grey smooth, sometimes mottled, bark.
| Weed Category: | |
| Weed: | No |
| Form or habit: | Shrub |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Leaf: | Narrow, smooth, straight or slightly curved phyllodes, tapering to both ends, membraneous, 5-15 x 0.5-1.2cm, green, small upturned hook at the tip. One to three prominent longitudinal veins. |
| Flower conspicuous: | Conspicuous |
| Flower colour: |
Yellow |
| Flower description: | Bright yellow balls, borne singly or in one or two pairs on short stalks in the leaf axils. January to March and sporadically through the year. |
| Fruit conspicuous: | Conspicuous |
| Fruit colour: |
Brown |
| Fruit: | |
| Fruit description: | Brown, flattened pods with pale margins, slightly constricted between the seed, 5-6.5 x 0.4-0.6cm, alternately raised and depressed over the seed. Seed longitudinal in the pod. |
| Habitat: | Open forest, woodland. |
| Distribution | Queensland, Northern Territory, New Guinea. |
| Food source for: | |
| Toxicity: | No toxicity known |
| Origin: | Australia, New Guinea. |
| Notes: | Fast growing and can flower in the first year. Needs good drainage and full sun. Best if planted in dense groups of three or four shrubs. Propagate from treated seed. |
| Information sources: | Atlas of Living Australia (2022) Acacia simsii A.Cunn. ex Benth., Townsend K. & the Society for Growing Australian Plant Townsville Branch Inc. (1994) Across the Top: Gardening with Australian Plants in the tropics. |
