{"product_id":"acacia-baileyana-cootamundra-wattle","title":"Acacia baileyana - Cootamundra Wattle","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAcacia baileyana\u003c\/strong\u003e is the straight species Cootamundra Wattle, the one with soft silver blue-green feathery foliage rather than the purple new growth of 'Purpurea'. The fine bipinnate leaflets give the whole tree a light, almost misty texture that holds all year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThrough late winter and early spring it covers itself in masses of bright golden ball flowers, often so densely that the foliage disappears behind them. It is one of the earliest and heaviest flowering wattles, and it lands at a point in the year when very little else is in bloom.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt grows fast, 1 to 2 metres a year, to a mature 6 to 8 metres tall and 3 to 5 metres wide. That is taller than 'Purpurea', so allow more room. Full sun, tolerant of light to moderate frost, drought and poor soils once established, and adaptable across sandy, loam and clay-loam ground.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLike most fast wattles it is short-lived at around 15 to 20 years, so it is best used where quick impact matters more than longevity, or as a fast screen while slower long-term trees establish behind it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin:44px 0 16px;\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"font-size:14px;font-weight:500;letter-spacing:1.5px;margin:0 0 8px;padding-top:32px;border-top:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);text-transform:uppercase;color:currentColor;\"\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 24px;color:currentColor;opacity:0.65;font-size:14px;font-style:italic;\"\u003eAbout Acacia baileyana\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"border-bottom:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);padding:18px 0;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"font-weight:500;cursor:pointer;line-height:1.4;padding-right:12px;font-size:16px;color:currentColor;\"\u003eWhat is the difference between Acacia baileyana and 'Purpurea'?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:14px 0 0;line-height:1.7;color:currentColor;opacity:0.85;\"\u003eFoliage colour and size. The straight species has silver blue-green feathery foliage all year. 'Purpurea' is a selection of the same species whose new growth flushes deep purple before hardening to silver-grey. The species also grows larger, to 6 to 8 metres against 4 to 6 metres for 'Purpurea'. Flowers are identical golden yellow on both.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"border-bottom:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);padding:18px 0;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"font-weight:500;cursor:pointer;line-height:1.4;padding-right:12px;font-size:16px;color:currentColor;\"\u003eHow big does it grow?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:14px 0 0;line-height:1.7;color:currentColor;opacity:0.85;\"\u003e6 to 8 metres tall and 3 to 5 metres wide at maturity, with a spreading canopy. It reaches usable size quickly, growing 1 to 2 metres a year.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"border-bottom:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);padding:18px 0;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"font-weight:500;cursor:pointer;line-height:1.4;padding-right:12px;font-size:16px;color:currentColor;\"\u003eWhen does it flower?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:14px 0 0;line-height:1.7;color:currentColor;opacity:0.85;\"\u003eLate winter into early spring, typically July through September depending on your district. The golden ball flowers open in such quantity that they often hide the foliage completely.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"border-bottom:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);padding:18px 0;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"font-weight:500;cursor:pointer;line-height:1.4;padding-right:12px;font-size:16px;color:currentColor;\"\u003eHow long does it live?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:14px 0 0;line-height:1.7;color:currentColor;opacity:0.85;\"\u003eAround 15 to 20 years, which is normal for a fast-growing wattle. Plan for replacement, or use it as a quick screen while slower long-term trees grow up behind it.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"border-bottom:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);padding:18px 0;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"font-weight:500;cursor:pointer;line-height:1.4;padding-right:12px;font-size:16px;color:currentColor;\"\u003eDoes it self-seed, and where should I avoid planting it?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:14px 0 0;line-height:1.7;color:currentColor;opacity:0.85;\"\u003eYes, it sets hard, long-lived seed that birds and ants move around, and outside its natural range on the NSW western slopes it has naturalised in parts of Victoria, NSW, south-east Queensland, south-west WA and the Adelaide region. It is not a Weed of National Significance and is only formally declared in the ACT. In a suburban or urban garden it is not a problem. The practical rule is simple: do not plant it on a property that backs onto remnant bushland, heathland or grassy woodland, and do not dump prunings or seed-bearing waste in a reserve.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"border-bottom:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);padding:18px 0;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"font-weight:500;cursor:pointer;line-height:1.4;padding-right:12px;font-size:16px;color:currentColor;\"\u003eIs it frost tolerant?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:14px 0 0;line-height:1.7;color:currentColor;opacity:0.85;\"\u003eIt handles light to moderate frost once established. Young plants are more vulnerable through their first winter in colder inland districts, so mulch the root zone and give them shelter from the worst wind.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"border-bottom:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);padding:18px 0;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"font-weight:500;cursor:pointer;line-height:1.4;padding-right:12px;font-size:16px;color:currentColor;\"\u003eHow far apart should I plant it for a screen?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:14px 0 0;line-height:1.7;color:currentColor;opacity:0.85;\"\u003e2 to 3 metres apart for an informal screen. As individual feature trees, allow 4 metres so each canopy can develop fully at its mature 3 to 5 metre width.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"border-bottom:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);padding:18px 0;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"font-weight:500;cursor:pointer;line-height:1.4;padding-right:12px;font-size:16px;color:currentColor;\"\u003eHow do I care for it?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:14px 0 0;line-height:1.7;color:currentColor;opacity:0.85;\"\u003eVery little is needed. Water deeply through the first 12 months, then only in extended dry spells. Tip prune after flowering to keep the canopy dense and to reduce seed set. Use a low-phosphorus native fertiliser, as wattles resent high-phosphorus blends. Avoid heavy pruning into old wood.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Evergreen Trees Direct","offers":[{"title":"40cm\/45L","offer_id":47090188648647,"sku":"ACABAI40CM\/45L","price":265.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/www.evergreentrees.com.au\/products\/acacia-baileyana-cootamundra-wattle","provider":"Evergreen Trees Direct","version":"1.0","type":"link"}