Queensland Silver Wattle, Pearl wattle

Medicinal Uses

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Flowers | Edible Uses: Flowers - cooked[144]. Rich in pollen, they are often used in fritters[183]. The flowers have a delicate sweet perfume[245].

Cultivation

Prefers a sandy loam and a very sunny position[1]. Succeeds in any good garden soil that is not excessively limey[11, 167]. Many members of this genus become chlorotic on limey soils[200]. Can succeed in a hot dry position in a mixed border[166]. Plants are not very cold-hardy, tolerating temperatures down to about -3°c[260]. They succeed outdoors in the mildest areas of Britain, though even there they can be cut back to the ground in severe winters[1, 11]. A very ornamental tree[1], it can be pruned back hard after flowering in order to induce good flowering the following year[260]. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[200].

Known Hazards

None known

Habitats

In the N of its range it is more or less restricted to sandstone hills in open Eucalyptus forest, but in the south it occurs on rocks of various types[286].