Acacia decurrens aka Green Wattle

Acacia decurrens is known as green wattle or early black wattle. It belongs to the pea family, Fabaceae. Kew places its native range in eastern and southeastern New South Wales, Australia. It grows in sheltered forests, open woods, and gullies. It often grows on shale, though sandstone sites also support it. Cool, moist hills form part of its habitat.

This fast-growing evergreen forms a shrub or small tree. Garden references give a height of about 39 feet [12 metres]. Other accounts describe plants reaching 16–49 feet [5–15 metres]. The largest reported trees reach 72 feet [22 metres]. It can send up suckers and form dense thickets. Its leaves have small leaflets. The supplied accounts give little detail about bark or stems.

The flowers provide much of its garden appeal. Plants For A Future records flowering in April in Britain. Each flower has both male and female organs. Insects pollinate the flowers, and the plant is self-fertile. Seedpods follow the blooms. The flowers yield a yellow dye. The pods provide a green dye. Growers also value the tree for shade and wind protection.

Give this wattle full sun and shelter from strong winds. It prefers sandy loam with good drainage. It also grows in other garden soils without much lime. Slightly acid to neutral soil suits it. It accepts both dry and moist ground. Hot, sunny summers help its wood mature and support flowering. Plants For A Future reports cold tolerance near 23°F [−5°C]. Harsh British winters can kill its growth above ground. Plants may then grow again from the base. Young plants need frost protection during their first winter outdoors.

Its roots help hold soil and reduce erosion. The tree also fixes nitrogen and serves as a hedge or screen. Its bark supplies tannin, while its wood provides fuel and pulp. Suckering can cause problems where dense growth is unwelcome. The sources disagree about its weed potential. The supplied species accounts name no specific pests or diseases. Cooked flowers have food uses, including fritters. Gum from the trunk is also edible, though considered low quality. The bark has a recorded medicinal use for diarrhoea. Plants For A Future lists no known hazards. That statement does not establish safety for every use.