Golden Wattle

Medicinal Uses

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Flowers | Edible Uses: GumFlowers - cooked[144]. Rich in pollen, they are often used in fritters. The plant yields an oily gum which is said to be edible[177, 183]. Some species produce a gum that is dark and is liable to be astringent and distasteful, but others produce a light gum and this is sweet and pleasant. It can be sucked like candy or soaked in water to make a jelly.[193]. The gum can be warmed when it becomes soft and chewable[193].

Cultivation

Prefers a rather poor sandy loam and a very sunny position[1, 11]. Succeeds in any good garden soil that is not excessively limey and in dry soils[11]. Most members of this genus become chlorotic on limey soils[200]. Prefers a pH in the range 5.8 to 6.5. This species is not very hardy outdoors in Britain. Plants require hot, sunny summers if they are to ripen their wood fully and flower freely. In Britain they tend to do best when grown in coastal gardens in a sunny, sheltered position that is protected from the wind[11]. A fast growing but short-lived tree in cultivation[167]. It is sometimes cultivated for the tannin obtained from its bark[1, 171]. This tree is the floral emblem of Australia[167]. 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

Thickets, or as an under-storey in Eucalyptus forests, especially on very poor soils[167].