Acacia melanoxylon
| Acacia melanoxylon | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 8 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-7.3 |
| Evergreen | |
| Height: | 98' |
| Speed: | Fast |
| Blooms: | Mid Spring |
| Native to: | |
| Nitrogen Fixer | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
Acacia melanoxylon (common name: blackwood)
Propagation: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a sunny position in a warm greenhouse[1]. Stored seed should be scarified, pre-soaked for 12 hours in warm water and then sown in a warm greenhouse in March. The seed germinates in 3 - 4 weeks at 25°c[2]. As soon as the seedlings are large enough to handle, prick them out into individual pots and grow them on in a sunny position in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts, and consider giving them some protection from the cold for their first winter outdoors.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood with a heel, July/August in individual pots in a frame[3]. Overwinter in a greenhouse for the first winter and plant out in their permanent positions in late spring or early summer. Fair percentage[3].
Cultivation: Prefers a sandy loam and a very sunny position[1]. Prefers a deep moist soil[4]. Succeeds in a hot dry position[5]. Succeeds in any good garden soil that is not excessively limey[6]. Most members of this genus become chlorotic on limey soils[7].
This is one of the hardier members of the genus, tolerating temperatures down to about -10°c[8]. It succeeds outdoors in Britain from Dorset westwards, also in south-western Scotland and in Ireland[1][6]. However, even in the mildest areas of the country it is liable to be cut back to the ground in excessively cold winters though it can resprout from the base[6]. It is planted for timber in south-west Europe[9].
This species produces both phyllodes (basically a flattened stem that looks and acts like a leaf) and true leaves[1][5].
The roots are very vigorous and extensive - they often produce suckers[8] and can damage the foundations of buildings[7].
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[7].
Range: Australia - New South Wales, Tasmania, Victoria. Locally naturalized in S.W. Europe[9].
Habitat: Wet forests on good soils up to the montane zone[10][11]. Usually an under-storey tree in Eucalyptus forests[4].
Edibility: Flowers - cooked[12]. Rich in pollen, they are often used in fritters. The flowers have a penetrating scent[13].
Medicinal: Antirheumatic[10].
Usage: A yellow dye is obtained from the flowers[14].
A green dye is obtained from the seed pods[14].
The extensive root system of this plant helps to prevent soil erosion[7].
The bark is rich in tannin[10].
Wood - hard, dark, close grained, high quality, takes a high polish. Used for furniture, fittings etc[1][15][6][11][16][4].
Soil: Can grow in light and medium soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
In Leaf: Evergreen
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ Rice, Graham. Growing from Seed Volume 1. Thompson and Morgan, 1987.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Sheat, Wilfrid. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. St Martin, 1948.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Holliday, Ivan and Ron Hill. A Field Guide to Australian Trees. Frederick Muller, 1974.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Taylor, Jane. The Milder Garden. Dent, 1990.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Phillips, Roger and Martyn Rix. Conservatory and Indoor Plants Volumes 1 & 2. Pan Books, London, 1998.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Tutin, Tom et al.. Flora Europaea. Cambridge University Press, 1964.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Lassak, Erich and Tara McCarthy. Australian Medicinal Plants.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Ewart, Alfred. Recording Census of the Victorian Flora. 1923.
- ↑ Cribb, Alan and Joan Cribb. Wild Food in Australia. Fontana, 1976.
- ↑ Genders, Roy. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale, 1994.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Grae, Ida. Nature's Colors. MacMillan Publishing, 1974.
- ↑ Grieve, Margaret. A Modern Herbal. Penguin, 1984.
- ↑ Cribb, Alan. Useful Wild Plants in Australia. William Collins, 1981.