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acacia dealbata growth rate


Josh-O

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I planted out a tiny liner of Acacia dealbata that I grew from seed about 6 months ago. here it is today just now reaching over a 5' fence. Is anyone else growing this tree?

I'm planting them for canopy at my Vista garden. I fell in love with this tree 2 yrs ago and knew I would be planting them in the garden someday soon.

IMG_3312.JPG.d1bef646f03738d8e270d87d54a4 months ago

56b971580427a_2-8-16(12).JPG.05810bc0ad9today

Carlsbad, California Zone 10 B on the hill (402 ft. elevation)

Sunset zone 24

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It's a nice looking tree, you're going to enjoy its fabolous blooming and fragance. Yes, It rocket its growth, here it's considered an invasive tree, very hard to remove due to its strong root system and its hability to resprout. 

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....and, Josh, it stayed evergreen during your December cold snap too!  I assume that it would stay evergreen all winter in my climate also (?), although it might not like my heavy rains and humidity.

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How would this tree tolerate: (a) being planted in heavy shade; and (b) in an area that tends to be a bit wet, often soaking up our heavy rains?

Has anyone seen it growing almost as quickly in the shade?

 

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Uh oh.  I just pulled the excerpts below off the web (refers to a number of Acacia species, not just Acacia Dealbata). See the sentences in bold type:

 

  • Invasive Properties

  • In addition to thorns, many acacia species have aggressive root systems or produce a large number of viable seeds, both of which allow the plants to quickly invade the soils outside their growing areas. The blackwood acacia (Acacia melanoxylon), a fast-growing tree that grows in USDA zones 9 through 11, has roots so aggressive they easily damage sidewalks and building foundations in addition to invading other plants' spaces. The silver wattle (Acacia dealbata) grows well in USDA zones 9 and 10, but plant this tree with caution. This variety spreads quickly through seeds and rhizomes, altering the nitrogen in the soil as it spreads so native plants can no longer grow in the area. Some acacias are classified as invasive, so check before planting.
  • Pests

  • Acacias attract numerous insect pests, including various scale insects, caterpillars, beetles and psyllids. These plants also have symbiotic relationships with ants. The ants live in the hollow thorns and feed out of the little nectaries the plant produces at the base of the foliage. These nectaries provide the ants with sugar, protein and water, and the well-fed pests repay the plant by aggressively defending it from any potential threat. These ants fiercely sting any person who comes too near their tree.
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This is one of these love-it/hate-it trees. There are marked differences in form amongst seedlots. The worst (in my view) are the short, crooked suckering forms that rapidly become an impenetrable thicket. Other end of the spectrum they can be huge, straight timber trees over 3 feet diameter trunks and over 100 feet tall. In the best forms the trunk can be dead straight and clear of branches for over half its height. Here are a couple of roadside volunteers growing in Havelock North near me, hard to see from the pictures but these trunks are well over 2 feet diameter. I have seen one tree almost 6 feet diameter, but with inferior trunk form.

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Yes it is true that it can be  a nuisance if planted in the wrong place, but the advantages of a hardy very fast growing nitrogen-fixing tree with the potential to improve soil fertility and produce cabinet timber is pretty appealing to some of us! I have planted over 40,000 of them here, I'm in the believer camp.

 

Best growth rate for me has been a small seedling planted and grown to around 15 feet in one year.

 

The pests that attack wattles are actually an advantage in the ecosystem. Wattles attract insects such as acacia psyllids which then build up to such high numbers the predators also have a population explosion. Once the acacia psyllids are under control the predator insects start cleaning up every other pest insect in your garden for you. Very useful!

Edited by Bennz

Waimarama New Zealand (39.5S, 177E)

Oceanic temperate

summer 25C/15C

winter 15C/6C

No frost, no heat

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