Acacia cognata ‘Copper Tips’ - Evergreen Trees Direct

Acacia cognata ‘Copper Tips’

$170.00

Tax included. Shipping calculated at checkout.

Size: 30cm

30cm 40cm/45L

Current Stock Height Guides

40cm/45L: 1m – 1.3m Approx.

Height guide disclaimer: Height ranges are approximate only. As living products, plant heights naturally vary between individual plants, batches, and seasons. No guarantee is given that supplied plants will fall within the stated range. If minimum heights are required, you mustconfirm current batch heights with Evergreen Trees Direct prior to purchase. Variation in height is normal and is not grounds for return, refund, replacement, or compensation.

Mature Height & Width

Mature Height: 1m to 1.5m

Mature Width: 1m to 1.5m

Acacia cognata ‘Copper Tips’ is expected to grow 0.3m to 0.6m per year.

Root Ball Dimensions

Use this as a reference when digging your planting hole. We recommend digging at least 10% wider than the dimensions below to encourage strong root development.

30cm Pot: 33cm (W) × 30cm (D)
40cm/45L Pot: 44cm (W) × 41.5cm (D)
50cm Pot / 70L Pot: 55cm (W) × 41.8cm (D)
100L Bag: 50.6cm (W) × 52.8cm (D)
150L Bag: 66cm (W) × 55cm (D)
200L Bag: 71.5cm (W) × 60.5cm (D)
300L Bag: 88cm (W) × 63.8cm (D)
400L Bag: 99cm (W) × 66cm (D)
500L Bag: 122cm (W) × 66cm (D)
750L Bag: 134cm (W) × 69cm (D)
1000L Bag: 146.3cm (W) × 71.5cm (D)
2000L Bag: 176cm (W) × 82.5cm (D)

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Contact

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Email: sales@evergreentrees.com.au

Phone: (03) 7042 3318

About Your New Acacia cognata ‘Copper Tips’

Acacia cognata 'Copper Tips' is a compact Australian native shrub with fine, weeping foliage and warm copper coloured new growth. The narrow phyllodes hang in soft curtains from a low mounded frame, and the bronze tips sit against the green for most of the year, giving a plant that changes colour without ever flowering hard.

It takes full sun to part shade and wants well drained soil above all else. Growth is moderate to fast at 20 to 40 centimetres a year, and established plants tolerate drought and light to moderate frost. It suits temperate and Mediterranean districts, coastal gardens and courtyards, and needs very little attention once settled.

Use it for low hedging, mass planting along a driveway, soft edging to paths and beds, or as a container plant beside a doorway. The flowing texture reads well beside bold, architectural foliage and against rendered walls or stone. For a low native planting that stays neat without regular clipping, it is a dependable choice.

Frequently Asked Questions

About Copper Tips Acacia

What is Acacia cognata 'Copper Tips'?

It is a dwarf cultivated form of the River Wattle, an Australian native from the pea family. Unlike its tall parent it stays low and mounded, with very fine weeping foliage and copper toned new shoots. It is grown for foliage texture and colour rather than flower, and is used for low hedging, borders, mass planting and pots.

How big does Copper Tips grow?

It reaches about 1 to 1.5 metres high and 1 to 2 metres wide, so it finishes wider than it is tall. That proportion makes it useful as a low mound or a flowing edge rather than a screen. Plants in pots stay at the smaller end of the range and hold a tighter shape.

Can it grow in pots?

Yes, it is one of the better wattles for containers. Use a large pot with free draining native potting mix and make sure the drainage holes stay clear, since it will not tolerate sitting water. Water regularly through summer, as pots dry far faster than garden beds, and repot or root prune every few years to keep it vigorous.

Does it need sun or shade?

Full sun gives the densest habit and the strongest copper colour on the new growth. It also grows happily in part shade, though the plant opens up and the tip colour is more muted. Deep shade is not suitable. Whatever the aspect, drainage matters more than light, so avoid low spots where water collects.

Is it frost tolerant?

It handles light to moderate frost once established, which suits most temperate and inland gardens. Young plants going into their first winter in a cold district are worth protecting with a cover on the worst nights. Frost may bronze the outer foliage, and that damage grows out through spring without any need for pruning.

Does it flower?

Flowering is sporadic and slight. Small pale yellow flowers may appear here and there, but this selection is grown for its foliage and many plants flower very little or not at all in a given year. If you want a wattle for a strong seasonal flower display, a taller species will serve you better.

How do I care for Copper Tips?

Water through the first summer, mulch lightly and keep phosphorus rich fertiliser away from it. A light trim over the whole surface after the main flush of new growth keeps the mound dense and encourages fresh copper tips. Never cut back into bare old wood, because it will not reshoot from there.

Enriched Planting Mix (AO Certified)

$21.95

Enriched Planting Mix is a certified organic blend of Pure Magic Compost, composted animal manure, gypsum, composted coarse bark and a wetting agent, bagged in 30L. It is built to be dug through existing garden soil at planting time rather than used on its own, and the gypsum is what sets it apart from a plain compost.

Gypsum helps break up heavy clay so water and roots can move through it, while the compost and manure return organic matter and nutrient to tired ground. The coarse bark holds structure and keeps air around the root zone, and the wetting agent keeps moisture in the soil longer after rain or watering.

Use it when planting trees, shrubs, roses, fruit trees and exotic garden plants, particularly into clay. Dig a hole twice the width of the pot and 7 centimetres deeper, then mix roughly one third planting mix through the excavated soil. Spread 7 centimetres of that improved soil in the base before setting the plant in.

Frequently Asked Questions

About Enriched Planting Mix

What is Enriched Planting Mix made from?

It is a blend of Pure Magic Compost, composted animal manure, gypsum, composted coarse bark and a wetting agent. Each part has a job. The compost and manure supply organic matter and nutrient, the gypsum works on clay structure, the bark keeps air around the roots and the wetting agent holds moisture in the soil.

What plants is it suitable for?

It suits exotic garden plants, including roses, ornamental and deciduous trees, fruit trees, shrubs and perennials, and it earns its keep most on heavy clay sites. It is a planting mix rather than a potting mix, so its job is improving soil at planting time. Phosphorus sensitive natives are the one clear exception.

Is it safe for natives?

No, not for the phosphorus sensitive ones. The composted animal manure in this blend lifts phosphorus well above what Proteaceae such as Banksia, Grevillea, Hakea and Protea will tolerate, and the result can be leaf burn, dieback and plant death. Use the Native Potting Mix for those species, or plant them into unimproved local soil.

Is it certified organic?

Yes. It is a certified organic product with no chemical additives, which is why the manure and compost in it are fully composted rather than raw. That makes it sound around fruit trees and vegetable beds, and it means you are adding genuine organic matter to your soil rather than a synthetic conditioner.

How much do I need?

Work on roughly one third planting mix to two thirds of the soil you dug out of the hole. For a shrub out of a 200 millimetre pot that is only a few litres. An advanced tree going into a large hole will take considerably more. Judge the quantity by the volume of the hole rather than the size of the plant.

Can I use it in pots?

It is not a potting mix and should not be used on its own in a container. The blend is designed to be diluted through garden soil, and used straight in a pot it holds too much water and settles badly. For containers, reach for a premium potting mix, or the native mix if you are potting natives.

Does it need to be watered in?

Yes. Water the plant well several hours before you plant it, then water thoroughly again once the hole is backfilled and the soil firmed down. That first deep watering settles the improved soil around the root ball and drives out air pockets. Keep the water up over the first few months while the roots establish.

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Enriched Planting Mix (AO Certified)

$21.95

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Uses in my Garden

Plant in Pots (or) Suitable for Pots

Acacia cognata ‘Copper Tips’ works in an:

Australian Native Garden – celebrates local plants with natural character.
Modern Garden – sleek, minimal, and design-led planting.
Formal Garden – structured, symmetrical design with clipped shapes.
Low-maintenance Garden – resilient choices for easy care and year-round appeal.

Is Acacia cognata ‘Copper Tips’ Evergreen or Deciduous?

Acacia cognata ‘Copper Tips’ is an Evergreen (foliage year round) Tree

Mature Height & Width

Mature Height: 1m to 1.5m

Mature Width: 1m to 1.5m

Acacia cognata ‘Copper Tips’ is expected to grow 0.3m to 0.6m per year.

Growth Rate of Acacia cognata ‘Copper Tips’

Acacia cognata ‘Copper Tips’ is expected to grow 0.3m to 0.6m per year.

They are considered to have a:

Medium Growth Rate
Fast Growth Rate

Frost Tolerance & Ideal Climate to plant Acacia cognata ‘Copper Tips’

Is Acacia cognata ‘Copper Tips’ frost tolerant?

Acacia cognata ‘Copper Tips’ is Frost Tolerant – Can handle light to moderate frost once established.

Does Acacia cognata ‘Copper Tips’ Flower?

Acacia cognata ‘Copper Tips’ produces small cream to pale-yellow globular flowers from late winter into spring. Although subtle, the blooms sit along the fine weeping foliage, adding a gentle seasonal highlight that complements its distinctive copper-toned new growth.

Does Acacia cognata ‘Copper Tips’ flower?

Yes - Flowers

Flowering Period:

Sporadic

Flower Type:

Fluffy

Flower Colour:

Not Applicable

Is Acacia cognata ‘Copper Tips’ an Australian Native Tree?

Yes

Acacia cognata ‘Copper Tips’ is Native to A cultivated form of Acacia cognata, which is native to southeastern Australia, particularly New South Wales and Victoria, where it grows in dry sclerophyll forests and woodlands.

What is the Wildlife Value of Acacia cognata ‘Copper Tips’ ?

Its dense cascading foliage offers shelter for small birds, while its pollen-rich flowers support native bees, hoverflies and beneficial insects that help sustain a healthy and biodiverse garden ecosystem.

How much Sunlight does Acacia cognata ‘Copper Tips’ need?

Acacia cognata ‘Copper Tips’ will thrive best in:

Full Sun
Part Shade

Preferred Soil?

Acacia cognata ‘Copper Tips’ performs best in well-drained sandy or loam soils with reliable drainage. It tolerates neutral to slightly acidic soils but can struggle in heavy clay or poorly drained sites unless improved with organic matter. Keep soil evenly moist during establishment, then reduce watering as the tree matures and develops stronger drought resilience.

Is Acacia cognata ‘Copper Tips’ Drought Tolerant?

Is Acacia cognata ‘Copper Tips’ Drought tolerant?

As a young tree it benefits from regular watering, but once established Acacia cognata ‘Copper Tips’ shows good drought tolerance. It performs reliably through dry periods and maintains its colour and weeping habit with minimal supplementary watering.

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How To Plant Your Acacia cognata ‘Copper Tips’

Site: Choose a well-drained position in full sun to part shade with room for the canopy to develop.

Soil preparation: Enrich the planting area with quality compost and aged manure for a strong establishment phase.

Hole: Dig twice as wide as the root ball and the same depth.

Planting: Position level with the surrounding soil, backfill gently, firm in, then water deeply to settle the roots.

Recommended Planting Spacing For Your Acacia cognata ‘Copper Tips’

Hedging and screening: 1 to 1.5 metres apart for a dense informal screen, or 80 centimetres apart for a tighter formal hedge.

Feature tree: 3 to 4 metres apart to allow the full canopy and form to develop.

Avenue planting: 3 metres apart for a uniform soft-textured avenue.

Acacia cognata ‘Copper Tips’ is expected to grow 0.3m to 0.6m per year.

Medium Growth Rate
Fast Growth Rate

Long Term Care For Your Acacia cognata ‘Copper Tips’

Watering: Water deeply twice weekly through the first 12 months. Once established, this is drought tolerant and only needs a deep soak during extended dry periods.

Mulching: Apply a 5 to 7 centimetre layer of organic mulch over the root zone, keeping it 5 centimetres clear of the trunk.

Pruning: Tip prune in late winter and again in summer to build dense growth. For a formal hedge, light shaping two to three times a year keeps lines crisp.

Fertilising: Apply a slow-release native blend in early spring and again in autumn. Avoid high-phosphorus formulations as a precaution.

Pest and disease: Hardy against most pests and diseases. Occasional inspection in warm humid conditions is all that's needed.

Planting Your Acacia cognata ‘Copper Tips’ in Different Soil

Acacia cognata performs best in well-drained sandy loam or loam with a slightly acidic to neutral pH. Adaptable to a wide range of soils when drainage is improved with organic matter.

Sandy soil: Free-draining and ideal. Mulch well to maintain consistent moisture.

Clay soil: Improve drainage with gypsum and organic compost before planting.

Loam: The preferred soil for steady root development and consistent growth.

pH: Slightly acidic to neutral preferred. Mulch with composted leaf litter to maintain levels naturally.