Description
Common names
Boree, Weeping Myall, Myall, Acacia Pendula Population In The Hunter Catchment, Balaar, Bastard Gidgee, Nilyah, Silver Leaf Boree, Silver-leaf Boree, True Myall.
Scientific names
Acacia pendula.
Family
Mimosaceae.
Genus
Acacia.
Name origin
From Latin pendulus, pendulous or hanging, referring to habit.
Rainfall
250mm.
Growth rate
Slow.
Growth height
5-13m.
Presence in Australia
Mainly west of Olympic Highway on lower country and plains.
This specie has been identified in the following Australian states: Qld, NSW, ACT, Vic, SA.
Habitat
Major river floodplains, and the Riverine Plain, sometimes as dominant species on heavy clay soils. Often in large stands.
Habit
Erect or spreading tree, 5-13m high. Rounded grey-green crown of conspicuously drooping "leaves" and branchlets. Fissured grey bark.
Site preference
Good soils - rich alluvial, clays or black soils with adequate ground water. Frost resistant.
Characteristics
Relatively slow-growing. Relatively palatable to livestock. During drought trees lopped for fodder. Coppices, although very old trees damaged by lopping and may die. Prone to use by the Bag-shelter moth, which occasionally kills trees. Suitable for fire-prone areas.
Flowering
Golden-yellow, mainly summer to autumn. Irregular, depending on season.
Seed collection
Early Oct to Jan.
Propagation
From seed (6-28 viable seeds per gram). Immerse seeds in hot water at 90oC for about one minute, before drying and sowing.
Regeneration
From seed if livestock fenced out. Coppices after fire.
Shade and shelter
Useful medium-level cover in windbreaks.
Land protection
Legume - improves soil fertility through "fixing" nitrogen.
Fuel
Excellent. Was used extensively.
Timber
Reasonable quality. Hard, heavy, dark and attractively marked, with violet-like fragrance. Used for fence posts and manufacturing trinket boxes and similar items.
Wildlife
Excellent habitat. Provides useful supplies of pollen. Often eaten by Procession caterpillars. Seeds eaten by parrots.
Koori
Boomerangs made from wood.
Ornamental
Very attractive ornamental, due to weeping grey foliage.
Other
Valuable drought fodder.