Prickly wattle facts for kids

The Prickly Wattle (scientific name: Acacia erinacea) is a type of shrub. It belongs to the Acacia plant family and grows naturally in Western Australia. It's called "prickly" because of its stiff, sharp branches.

Quick facts for kids Prickly wattle
Scientific classification
Genus:	Acacia
Species:	erinacea
Occurrence data from AVH

What Does It Look Like?

This prickly shrub usually grows between 0.1 and 1.5 meters (about 4 inches to 5 feet) tall. Its branches split into short, whitish, ribbed, and spiny twigs. New shoots often have a reddish-brown color.

The leaves of the Prickly Wattle are not typical leaves; they are actually flattened leaf stems called phyllodes. These phyllodes are grey-green and shaped like a long oval or a spear tip. They are about 5 to 12 millimeters long and 2 to 4 millimeters wide.

The plant blooms with yellow flowers from June to November. Each group of flowers forms a round head, and each head has about 12 to 22 golden flowers. After the flowers, seed pods grow. These pods are oblong and slightly bumpy. They are about 1 to 3 centimeters long and 7 to 10 millimeters wide. Inside, they hold dark brown, oval-shaped seeds.

How It Was Named

The Prickly Wattle was first officially described in 1842 by a botanist named George Bentham. He included it in a book called Notes on Mimoseae, with a synopsis of species. This book was published in the London Journal of Botany 1.

Later, in 2003, another botanist named Leslie Pedley changed its name to Racosperma eriocladum. However, in 2006, it was moved back to the Acacia group. The first plant sample used to describe the species was collected by James Drummond.

Where Does It Grow?

The Prickly Wattle is endemic to Western Australia. This means it only grows naturally in that part of the world. You can find it in the Mid West, Goldfields-Esperance, Wheatbelt, and Great Southern regions.

It can grow in most types of soil, especially those with a lot of clay. This shrub is found as far north as Kalbarri and as far south as Broomehill. It also grows east to Eucla. It likes to live on hills and flat lands. Often, you'll find it growing as part of Eucalypt woodlands, mallee, and sandplain scrub areas.

Images for kids

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  Flowers

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  Legume

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  Roasted and ground seeds