Happy Wattle Day!

The first of September is National Wattle Day in Australia, when we celebrate these cheerful heralds of spring.

There are around 1000 species of wattle native to Australia. While different species can flower at different times of year, the peak is usually in late winter and early spring in Victoria, when the roadsides are lit up in green and gold.

One of the most striking examples is the golden wattle, Acacia pycnantha. It is widely distributed and is the national floral emblem of Australia.

Wattles are a member of the pea family, Fabaceae. Like other members of this family, they fix nitrogen from the atmosphere and add it to the soil.