Fabaceae

Acacia baileyana

Common Names: Cootamundra wattle

Plant Form: Large shrub to small spreading tree. Size: 3-10 m tall. Stem: Smooth, greyish or brownish. Leaves: Compound with many small opposite sided leaflets giving fern-like appearance. Silvery-grey, greenish grey or bluish colour. Flowers: Small yellow globular typical wattle flowers in large clusters. Fruit and Seeds: Pods 3-12 cm long on short stalks. Bluish green and powdery maturing to reddish brown. Contain up to 12 brown seeds. Habitat: Open woodlands, heathlands, forests, plantations, waste areas, riparian areas. Native to a small area around Cootamundra but has been widely planted and naturalised elsewhere. Distinguishing Features: Similar to several other native wattles such as Silver wattle (Acacia dealbata subsp. dealbata) and Karri wattle (Acacia pentadenia) but can be distinguished by lower branchlets being angled backwards.