Cedar wattle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cedar wattle |
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| trunk of Acacia elata, Blue Mountains National Park, Australia | |
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Acacia
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| Species: |
elata
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
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The cedar wattle (Acacia elata) is a beautiful tree. It is also known as the mountain cedar wattle. You can find it growing in eastern Australia.
Contents
What Does the Cedar Wattle Look Like?
This tree can grow quite tall. It usually reaches about 20 meters (65 feet) high. Some very old trees can even grow over 30 meters (98 feet) tall!
The bark at the bottom of the tree is dark brown or black. It has deep cracks, making it look rugged. When the tree branches are young, they are a bit hairy.
Leaves, Flowers, and Seeds
The leaves of the cedar wattle are dark green. They stay on the tree all year round. Each leaf is usually 2.5 to 9 centimeters (1 to 3.5 inches) long. They have a special bump called a gland about halfway along.
The leaves are made up of smaller parts. They usually have three to seven pairs of main leaflets (called pinnae). These main leaflets are 7 to 23 centimeters (2.7 to 9 inches) long. Each of these has 8 to 22 pairs of even smaller leaflets (called pinnules). These tiny leaflets are shaped like a spearhead and are 2 to 5 centimeters (0.8 to 2 inches) long.
The cedar wattle blooms, or flowers, between December and February. Its flowers grow in clusters. These clusters look like round balls, about 7 to 10 millimeters (0.3 to 0.4 inches) wide. Each flower-head has 30 to 55 pale yellow or cream-colored flowers.
After the flowers, flat, straight seed pods grow. These pods are 4 to 17.5 centimeters (1.5 to 7 inches) long. They are 9 to 15 millimeters (0.35 to 0.6 inches) wide. The pods feel like firm paper or leather.
How Was the Cedar Wattle Named?
The cedar wattle was first officially described in 1842. A botanist named George Bentham gave it its scientific name, Acacia elata. This happened as part of a larger book about plants.
For a while, its name was changed to Racosperma elatum in 1987. But in 2006, it was changed back to Acacia again. The word elata in its scientific name means "tall" or "elevated." This describes how tall the tree can grow.
Where Does the Cedar Wattle Grow?
The cedar wattle naturally grows only in coastal areas of New South Wales, Australia. You can find it from the Budawang Range in the south up to the Bellinger River in the north.
Sometimes, this tree escapes from gardens. It can then grow wild in other parts of Australia. This includes areas in Western Australia, Queensland, and Victoria. In some places, it is even considered a weed.
You can often find cedar wattles growing near rainforests. They also grow in wet sclerophyll forests. These are forests with tough, leathery-leaved plants.
People sometimes plant the cedar wattle in their gardens. It is a very attractive plant with delicate-looking leaves. Its wood is also useful. It is strong, hard, and has a nice grain. This makes it good for carpentry and turning into objects.
