Gold-Dust Wattle © Graham & Maree Goods

Gold-Dust Wattle

Bushy or straggly shrub, branchlets more or less angled at extremities, smooth or hairy. Bark is smooth, grey to brown. Commonly grows to 2.5 m high.

Leaves

Has phyllodes (flattened leaf stalks) that are rounded, usually asymmetric 0.4 – 1.5 cm long and 2 – 8 mm wide, hairy or smooth. Leaf midrib (large midline vein) is obscure or absent, lateral veins also absent.

Flowers

Bright yellow ball-shaped inflorescences (clusters flowers arranged on a stem) that form in patterns of 5. Flowers appear in late winter and spring and into early summer (July to November).

Fruits/Seeds

Pods twisted or spirally coiled, slightly raised over seeds. Seeds longitudinal, more or less oblong and shiny dark brown.

Field Guide

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Species: WhatToObserve Image

What to Observe

  • First fully open single flower (each ‘flower ball’ is actually a cluster of 40-80 flowers)

  • Full flowering (record all days)

  • End of flowering (when 95% of the flowers have faded)

  • No flowering

  • Open Seed pods (record all days)

Species: WhenAndWhere Image

When and Where

When To Look

  • From autumn throughout spring and early summer
  • Flowering usually August – October
  • Seed pods appear after flowers

Where To Look

  • South Australia, Victoria, NSW and the Australian Capital Territory
  • In the understorey of open forest or woodland and in open scrub formations
Species: WhatElse Image

What Else?

They are tolerant of drought and frost.

A flower in an inflorescence are referred to as ‘florets’.