Acacia cultriformis

RHS Plant Profile
knife-leaf wattle

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Other common names

knife acacia

Shrubs Trees
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A small evergreen tree to 4m, though occasionally trailing/prostrate. The 'leaves' are small silver-green triangles and the flowers bright yellow clusters of little pom-poms in spring

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Loam, Sand, Chalk

Max Height

2.5-4 metres

Max Spread

1.5-2.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
10–20 years
Max Spread
1.5-2.5 metres
Max Height
2.5-4 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam Sand Chalk
Moisture
Well–drained
pH
Acid or Neutral or Alkaline

Position

Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H3

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Fabaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Evergreen
Habit
Bushy, Spreading branched, Trailing
Genus
Acacia can be deciduous or evergreen trees, shrubs or climbers, with alternate, pinnately divided leaves or simple modified leaf-like stalks (phyllodes), and tiny, sometimes fragrant, flowers in short spikes, or in racemes or spikes of spherical heads
Name Status
Correct
Plant Range
New South Wales

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in neutral or slightly acid/alkaline, well-drained soil in a sheltered site in full sun. Tolerant of salt. For more advice, see shrub cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by semi-ripe cuttings or seed. For more information see propagating from seed (tree/shrub

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Coastal
  • Mediterranean climate plants
  • Wall side borders
  • Banks and slopes

Pruning

Pruning group 8

Pests

May be susceptible to glasshouse red spider mite, fluted scale and mealybugs

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus