Willow Wattle / Cooba
Origin of name
Family: MIMOSACEAE
- Acacia meaning “a point“
- salicina meaning “willow“
Occurrence
Grows mainly along watercourses and on floodplains in
sclerophyll forest & shrub/woodland in semi-arid regions.
Hardy in soils from sand to clay. Prefers full sun and good drainage. Tolerates dryness, alkaline soils & high salinity.
Appearance
Shrub/tree (3-20m) with willowy, pendulous branches & fleshy, droopy leaves with 1 vein prominent. Globular flowers cream/white & peak occurrence is Jun-Oct. Pods contain black seeds with fleshy, scarlet aril. Can sucker.
Bark was used for tanning skins, bush medicine and fish poison. Seeds are bush tucker. Attracts many insects, birds (e.g. cockatoos), and other small animals. Suckering habit promotes riverbank stability and erosion control.
Image coming soon