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1. Every Friday post a photo that includes one or more flowers.
2. Please only post photos you have authority to use.
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Wednesday 15 August 2012

AUSTRALIAN GOLD

Acacia is the largest genus in the family Mimosaceae, the Mimosa family, which is mainly tropical and sub-tropical in distribution.The generic name Acacia is derived from the Greek 'akis', a point, referring to the spiny thorns of some species. There are more than 900 species of Acacia in Australia, making it the largest genus in the Australian flora.

Acacia pycnantha, Golden Wattle, is a shrub or small tree about 4 to 8 metres tall. The specific name pycnantha from the Greek 'pyknos', meaning 'dense', and 'anthos', meaning 'a flower', refers to the dense clusters of flowers.  In spring large fluffy golden-yellow flower-heads with up to eighty minute sweetly scented flowers provide a vivid contrast with the foliage.

Golden Wattle occurs in the understorey of open forest or woodland and in open scrub formations in South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, in temperate regions with mean annual rainfall of 350 mm to 1000 mm. It regenerates freely after fires, which usually kill the parent plants but stimulate the germination of seeds stored in the soil if rain follows soon after.

The brilliant yellow, fragrant flowers of Golden Wattle make it a popular garden plant. It is moderately frost tolerant and grows well in a wide range of soils provided drainage is effective, but tends to be short-lived in cultivation. It is easily propagated from seed soaked in hot water to break the hard seed coat, and the seedlings can be transplanted to pots of soil mix for growing on before planting out in a lightly shaded or open position.

Golden Wattle flowers have been used in perfume making. It was introduced to horticulture in the northern hemisphere about the middle of the nineteenth century. In Britain it survives outdoors only in the mildest areas. In California it has escaped from garden cultivation and now grows wild but it is not considered a pest. In South Africa, however, it has become a significant weed species.

The adoption of the Golden Wattle as the national flower tends to be confirmed by its introduction into the design of the Australian armorial bearings on the recommendation of the Rt Hon. Andrew Fisher, Prime Minister of Australia, when the Commonwealth Armorial Ensigns and Supporters were granted by Royal Warrant on 19 September 1912.  Acacia pycnantha enjoyed popular acceptance as Australia's national flower for much of this century but it was not proclaimed as the national floral emblem until 1988, the year of Australia's bicentenary.

The Gazettal is dated 1 September 1988, signed by the Governor General, Sir Ninian Stephen, on 19 August 1988.A ceremony was held on 1 September 1988 at the Australian National Botanic Gardens when the Minister for Home Affairs, Robert Ray, made the formal announcement, and the Prime Minister's wife, Mrs Hazel Hawke, planted a Golden Wattle. Four years later, in 1992, the 1 September was formally declared 'National Wattle Day' by the Minister for the Environment, Mrs Ros Kelly at another ceremony at the Australian National Botanic Gardens. The Gazettal is dated 24 August 1992 and was signed by the Governor General, Bill Haydon, on 23 June 1992.

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25 comments:

  1. Dedicated to all of our Australian Olympians!

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  2. I remember an acacia tree that was planted beside our church way back when I was small. Majestic and beautiful flowers.

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  3. I am familiar with this and it is lovely, but i don't like the habit of the acacia genus. We locally call the Samanea saman or raintree as akasya or acacia here too. I prefer it for the timber.

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  4. the kind of flower you want to touch. :)

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  5. That is such a pretty flower - it looks soft and inviting!

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  6. Wonderful yellow flowers. A beautiful contrast with the blue sky too. Great capture !

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  7. Beautiful gold flowers in honor of your Australian Olympians! :)

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  8. Would love to have a Golden Wattle tree in our garden, but it is too cold here.
    Thank you for you comment, Nick.
    Gisela

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  9. I can look at the sun, but I can't look at that bursting yellow, full of life :) Great pic, I like its power and poetry.

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  10. As always impressed by the beauty of your flowers, the great photo and the in-depth knowledge! And as always grateful to you for hosting.

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  11. What a beauty - such a gorgeous golden shrub! Thank you for hosting.

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  12. I love the name of this flower, one I am not familiar with. The yellow would be what my daughter refers to as brave and outspoken.

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  13. loving the wattles; they've been looking spectacular

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  14. flowering trees are my favorite. beautiful, cheerful flowers.

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  15. Magnificent color cluster; nice dedication Nick!

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  16. It's a nice shade of yellow. Perfect for an Olympic dedication!

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  17. how could anyone ever consider that gorgeous tree a pest! Pester me all you want .....

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  18. You will love this story, and it is true.My Dad was a senior civil servant, often the senior servants of Agricultural dept will give him plants to grow, once he had 6 of this saplings. They told him was Christmas tree. He grew them, but they didn't look anything like th epine trees we associate with Christmas tree.
    Mum likes to get rid of thing, Dad likes to keep them. So he allowed to let them grow.
    Each time we seen the saplings grow taller and taller, we said what the heck.
    Mum and dad went to live in Oz. Sadly mum died.
    I went with my sis and we walked in the bush. The wattles were blooming. I said, that's the " Christmas tree dad grew." The yellow blooms reminds me of the decorations. I told Helen, now I understand why it is called a Christmas tree.

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  19. Linking up just in time before Friday is over! Neat to see your meme is steadily growing:)
    I remember, in Holland I made sure I got a bouquet of mimosa every year -
    pricey, because they were imported from France! Never have seen them here in California.

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  20. I really like Wattle but I'm quite allergic!! It's so pretty though, especially this variety.

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  21. Love that wattle! It is so bright and cheerful and definitely a good choice for our National Floral emblem. Thanks again for hosting, Nick. Wishing you a great week.

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