Friends of the Box-Ironbark Forests

This post was written by FOBIF member Allan Evans on 1st September and posted on his Instagram feed. Allan has given us permission to re-post the article. Allan is a qualified climbing arborist based in Castlemaine servicing Mount Alexander Shire and surrounds, see www.aetreecare.com 

Acacia baileyana – Cootamundra Wattle from NSW

Happy Wattle Day! Spring is here!

The Cootamundra Wattle pictured here is a popular choice for gardens around Central Vic. I thought it’d be useful to make a post about how to prune these trees.
It’s really simple: just make one cut, as close to the ground as possible. It’s important to select the appropriate tool for the job. A handsaw or loppers may be sufficient, or you may want a chainsaw for larger diameter trees.

Seriously, Cootamundra Wattle is invasive in Central Vic. It’s only native to a small area west of Cootamundra, in central NSW. Outside of its natural range, it can displace local plant species. Not only that, it can hybridise with Silver Wattle, an important local native for us here in Castlemaine (and across southeast Australia). This means that seeds produced by Silver Wattle growing near Cootamundra Wattle may no longer produce Silver Wattle seedlings. They may instead be a cross between the two.

It’s important to ensure accurate identification before removing a suspected weed, as they can look similar to local natives. In this case, Silver and Cootamundra Wattles can be confusingly similar to the untrained eye.

When choosing Wattles to plant, it’s best to choose local species. Around Castlemaine these include Golden Wattle (Acacia pycnantha) our National floral emblem, Gold-dust Wattle (Acacia acinacea), Spreading Wattle (Acacia genistifolia) and Hedge Wattle (Acacia paradoxa).

Reference: “Cootamundra Wattle Harms Our Local Natives” pamphlet published by FOBIF.