Acacia sophorae
Common name
coastal wattle
Synonyms
Acacia longifolia var. sophorae (Labill.) F. Muell.
Family
Fabaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Exotic
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons
NVS code
The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.
ACASOP
Habitat
Occurs on sand dunes
Features
Shrub up to 1-3 m high with spreading habit and sharply angled twigs. Leaves reduced to phyllodes. Phyllodes narrowly elliptic to obovate, green and up to 110 x 25 mm with 2 prominent veins. Flowers in dark yellow in cylindrical spikes up to 45 mm long. Ripe seed pods brown and very contorted.
Similar taxa
This species is very similar to A. longifolia (var. longifolia) but can be distinguished by the broader phyllodes, and the very contorted pods.
Flowering
July, August
Flower colours
Yellow
Year naturalised
1997
Origin
Australia, East coast
Reason for introduction
Coastal sand control; ornamental, shelter
Control techniques
There is little resprouting if shrubs are cut cut close to ground level.
Etymology
acacia: Derived from Greek ‘akazo’ to sharpen, meaning point; spine or thorn.
Reason For Introduction
Ornamental
Life Cycle Comments
Very fast growing species that thrives in sand dunes. Can have huge impacts in these systems.
Reproduction
Prolific seed is produced in good years, can spread vegetatively if branches touch ground.
Seed
Prolific in good years
Dispersal
Dispersed by people as an ornamental shrub. Seed is spread locally by wind, sand and gravity, stem layering is also of some importance.
Tolerances
Copes with coastal spray well.