Acacia coriacea aka Desert Oak

Acacia coriacea, or wiry wattle, is in the pea family, Fabaceae. Kew gives its home range as north and northwest Australia. It spans Western Australia and the northwest of the Northern Territory. It grows in dry scrub and desert regions. Sources also note it on sand dunes, plains and rocky hills. Some stands grow by streams that flow in some seasons. Others grow in open woodland.

This evergreen plant grows as a shrub or small tree. Garden sources give a height of about 16 feet [5 metres]. A broader account gives 10–33 feet [3–10 metres]. Its crown may be round or spread out sideways. Strong winds near the coast can keep its form low. Young seedlings have true leaves. As plants mature, they grow phyllodes in their place. These are flat, leaf-like stems that act as leaves. The plant can also fix nitrogen.

Plants For A Future lists yellow blooms through winter and spring. Each flower has both male and female organs. Seed pods follow the blooms and split to let seeds out. People gather seeds from wild plants for food. The flowers yield yellow dye, and the pods yield green dye. These uses add to its value as a garden plant.

Choose a very sunny site with soil that drains well. Sandy loam suits it, but it can grow in clay. It grows in mildly acid, neutral and mildly alkaline soil. Plants For A Future warns against too much lime in soil. It copes with dry ground and can grow in moist soil. Sources say it withstands drought well and copes with coastal exposure. It grows at a moderate rate. The listed USDA zones are 9–11. Harsh winters may kill it, even in mild British gardens.

Gardeners grow wiry wattle as a specimen, or for shade and shelter. Its wide roots help hold soil and curb erosion. People have also used its wood for small tools. Cooked seeds are edible, sweet and rich in nutrients. Plants For A Future lists the flowers as edible too. Useful Tropical Plants warns readers to check the plant's identity before gathering seeds for food. Its warning about toxic leaves concerns other acacias in general. It does not show that this species has toxic leaves. Neither source names pests or diseases that affect this plant. Plants For A Future lists no known use as medicine.