Dagger wattle facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dagger wattle
Scientific classification
Genus:	Acacia
Species:	siculiformis
Occurrence data from AVH

The Dagger Wattle (scientific name: Acacia siculiformis) is a cool shrub found in southeastern Australia. It's part of the Acacia family, which is a big group of plants often called wattles.

What Does it Look Like?

This shrub usually grows about 2 to 3 meters (6.5 to 10 feet) tall. Sometimes, it can even spread out low to the ground. Its bark is smooth and grey. The branches are also smooth and round, and they can feel a bit sticky because of resin.

The Dagger Wattle has stiff, green "leaves" called phyllodes. These aren't true leaves but flattened leaf stalks that do the job of leaves. They are long and narrow, like a spear or dagger, and can be straight or slightly curved. Each phyllode is about 1 to 3.5 centimeters long and 2 to 4 millimeters wide. They have a clear vein down the middle and a sharp, pointed tip.

The plant blooms between August and November. It produces small, round flower-heads that are bright yellow, or sometimes pale yellow to white. Each flower-head is about 4.5 to 7 millimeters across and packed with 30 to 45 tiny flowers.

After the flowers, flat, papery seed pods grow. These pods are straight and smooth, measuring about 1.5 to 5 centimeters long and 4 to 7.5 millimeters wide. They have a few thin veins near their edges.

Where Does it Grow?

The Dagger Wattle is a plant that is endemic to a specific area. This means it naturally grows only in certain parts of southeastern Australia. Most of these plants are found from Nowra in New South Wales down through the Australian Capital Territory to Mount Buller in Victoria.

You can also find smaller groups of Dagger Wattles further north in New South Wales and even in Tasmania. They often grow near creeks and streams. They prefer rocky or sandy soils and are usually found as part of open Eucalyptus forests.