Cootamundra Wattle
Acacia baileyana
Daiju Azuma
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Genus:
- Acacia
- Species:
- Acacia baileyana
- USDA Symbol:
- ACBA
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Shrub , Tree
- Height:
- 900 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- jan,feb,mar
- Bloom Colors:
- yellow
- Evergreen Shrub:
- Yes
- Landscaping Shrub:
- Yes
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Keystone Species Ranking
- Caterpillar Keystone:
- ★★★☆☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Hubbard's silk moth (Syssphinx hubbardi), Mountain Sphinx Moth (Syssphinx montana), Syssphinx albolineata, Syssphinx quadrilineata
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, bees
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Salt Tolerant:
- Yes
- Fragrant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts vigorously after fire from root crown and exhibits increased flowering following fire disturbance, typical of Australian acacia species.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- well-drained, sandy to loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- native to areas with poor fertility
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Scarification:
- Seed coat scarification required before sowing
- Germination Time:
- 7–21 days
- Notes:
- Seed coat is impermeable and requires hot water treatment or mechanical scarification. Seeds germinate best after being soaked in hot water for 24 hours.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI