Acacia forgot about wattle
Monday 1 September, 2025
Australia’s floral emblem, the inspiration for our national sporting colours and a brightly coloured beacon in the bush, wattle (genus Acacia) is as Australian as a Bunnings sausage sizzle.
Our country is home to more than 1,000 species of wattle, making it our largest plant genus. Wattles play an important role in stabilising soils, enriching nitrogen, and providing habitat and food for countless insects, birds, and mammals.
A hardy plant, it’s one of the species that can survive Australia’s bushfire season. A symbol of resilience, the tough coats of their seed pods mean that even if the entire parent tree has been burnt, they’re still able to grow and survive.
Behind its vibrant bloom, however, lies a story of balance: of native wattles as vital cornerstones of biodiversity, of pest species that disrupt ecosystems, and of First Nations knowledge that offers wisdom for sustainable care.
Are wattles weeds?
Not all wattles are welcome everywhere. While over 1,000 species of Acacia are native to Australia, some have spread beyond their natural ranges and become environmental weeds.
For example, the Cootamundra Wattle (Acacia baileyana), is prized in gardens for its silver foliage and golden blooms. But outside of its home in NSW, it has invaded bushland – disrupting local species and hybridising with related wattles.
The Green Wattle (Acacia decurrens), which was once promoted for tannin production and revegetation, is now regarded as a bushland weed in Victoria and Tasmania due to its aggressive spread.
The issue isn’t just localised to Australia either. Black Wattle (Acacia mearnsii) is treasured in parts of its native habitat for stabilising soil and providing tannins, but in South Africa it’s been a declared invasive species for its part in crowding waterways, reducing grassland cover and threatening native biodiversity.
Like plant species, wattles offer important ecological benefits when growing in their home ranges. But when they spread outside their natural habitat, they can become disruptive to local ecosystems. To avoid becoming an accidental environmental vandal, it’s important to consider species that support, rather than harm, our local biodiversity. An easy way to do this is to choose sustainably sourced, local native seeds and plants that are free from signs of disease or pests.
First Nations knowledge and uses
For thousands of years, wattle have had a deep cultural significance for First Nations peoples. This can be seen in historic use of the tree’s bark, which was crafted into spears, boomerangs, and shelters.
But that has proven not to be it’s only use. The seeds of certain wattles – such as Acacia victoriae, commonly known as ‘wattleseed’ – are well-known bush tucker due to their high protein and their nutty, coffee-like flavour.
Certain Acacia bark and leaves are also used in traditional healing practices, often for their tannins and antimicrobial properties. The flowering cycles of the plants have long served as seasonal markers, guiding communities in hunting, harvesting, and ceremony.
Like many symbols in indigenous and first nation’s history, wattle are not just plants in the landscape, but threads in the fabric of culture and survival.
Wattle you know! We’ve got some fun floral facts:
- The Golden Wattle (Acacia pycnantha) became Australia’s national floral emblem in 1988.
- As our floral emblem, Golden Wattle can be used as a symbol of remembrance and reflection. For example, on national days of mourning, Australians are invited to wear a sprig of wattle.
- Not all wattle is golden and spherical; some have cylindrical spikes! Cinnamon Wattle (Acacia leprosa) has a red flower called ‘Scarlet Blaze’ and Purpleflowered Wattle (Acacia purpureopetala) has, you guess it, pink and purple flowers.
- Wattles are often among the first plants to germinate after bushfires, helping to restore soil and provide shelter.
- Many wattles have a specialised structure called an ‘elaiosome’ that encourages ants to take seeds underground to their nests, further supporting survival through fires.
- The roots of Acacia plants enrich soil via their root nodules, which host symbiotic bacteria. These bacteria make nitrogen in the atmosphere available to living things and improve soil fertility for other plants; this is called ‘nitrogen fixation’.
- Only a handful of the 1,000+ native Australian wattles species produce edible seeds.
As we celebrate wattles – especially during their golden bloom in spring – it’s important to approach them with the care and awareness deserved of a native flora.
Caring for wattles is ultimately caring for ourselves. They enrich soils that feed ecosystems, shelter wildlife that keeps nature balanced, and hold stories that connect us to place and history.
By learning from science, listening to First Nations knowledge, and actively participating in conservation, we can ensure wattles continue to bloom as a symbol of resilience.
Biodiversity Month
Biodiversity Month is celebrated each September and promotes the importance of connecting with nature and caring for the environment in all it’s fantastic diversity!
Biodiversity is the variety of all living things – the different flora, fauna and microorganisms, the genetic information they contain, and the ecosystems they form.
At Parks Victoria, we protect the best examples of nature, managing a diverse estate of more than 4 million hectares including 3,000 land and marine parks and reserves.
We know the survival of our wildlife, plants and natural habitats is critical to our own survival – our health and wellbeing, the air we breathe, the water we drink and the places we go.
So why not get out into nature this September and remember why caring for nature is as important as caring for yourself.