Brisbane tree guide

Queensland silver wattle

Acacia podalyriifolia · also called Mount Morgan wattle, Pearl wattle

Queensland silver wattle is a fast-growing small native tree with soft, silvery-grey foliage and masses of fragrant golden flower balls in winter. It is one of the most widely planted wattles in Australia and grows naturally in central and south-east Queensland. It usually reaches 3 to 7 metres, makes a quick screen and lives only about 10 to 15 years. It also self-seeds readily, so keep it away from bushland.

Native to South East Queensland
3 to 7 m tall
Flowers May to July

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Queensland silver wattle, from Wikimedia Commons — Photo: Bidgee, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Queensland silver wattle at a glance

Height: 3 to 7 m (up to 10 m in the wild)
Spread: 5 m
Growth: Fast
Leaves: Evergreen
Flowers: Yellow, May to July
Origin: Central and south-east Queensland, from Mount Morgan to Stanthorpe, just reaching northern NSW
Family: Fabaceae

How to identify a Queensland silver wattle

The silvery-grey 'leaves' are really phyllodes: short, broad and oval, 2 to 5 cm long, soft to touch and tipped with a tiny point. Young stems and pods have a whitish, frosty bloom. From about May to July, fragrant golden balls of 15 to 30 tiny flowers appear along short sprays that reach out beyond the foliage. Flat pods 5 to 12 cm long follow, silvery and velvety when young with wavy edges, then brown before they split to release black seeds. The trunk is grey and fairly smooth.

Growing a Queensland silver wattle in Brisbane

Queensland silver wattle is common in south-east Queensland, mainly on rocky hills and ridges, and it was among the first native plants taken into cultivation in the state. It is widely grown in Brisbane gardens, and the Environmental Weeds of Australia key suggests some Brisbane populations may have started as garden escapes. It wants full sun and well-drained soil, copes with dry spells and moderate frost, and blooms well in mild climates. In humid weather, sooty mould can blacken the foliage.

What to watch out for

Queensland silver wattle isn't on Brisbane City Council's weed list or Queensland's restricted list, and it is native to this region. Even so, it seeds freely: the seed lasts a long time in the soil, sprouts after fire or disturbance, and is spread by ants and birds. Outside Queensland it is treated as an environmental weed in Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales, and naturalised plants are recorded on Moreton Bay islands. Avoid planting it beside bushland and remove seedlings.

Seedlings. It seeds freely and can spread from gardens into nearby bushland, and herbarium records note naturalised plants on Moreton Bay islands.

Pruning and care

This wattle grows fast and can bloom when only two years old. It naturally keeps a bushy shape, so it needs little pruning: trim lightly if needed and remove dead or damaged wood. Plant it in a sunny, well-drained spot, where it copes with dry conditions once established. It is short-lived, usually 10 to 15 years, so plan for a replacement. Pull out seedlings that come up nearby, especially if you live next to bushland.

Queensland silver wattle: your questions

Short answers, from the sources below.

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When does Queensland silver wattle flower?

In its home range it flowers in winter, mainly from about May to July, with masses of fragrant golden flower balls. In cooler districts it can flower later, into August and September.

How tall does a Queensland silver wattle grow?

Usually 3 to 7 metres, with a spread of about 5 metres. Occasional plants reach about 10 metres.

How long does a Queensland silver wattle live?

It's a fast grower but relatively short-lived, usually lasting about 10 to 15 years, so it's best treated as a quick screen rather than a long-term tree.

Is Queensland silver wattle a weed?

It isn't on Brisbane City Council's weed list or Queensland's restricted list, and it's native to this region. However, it seeds freely and is an environmental weed in other states, so keep it away from bushland.

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Sources and credits

Photo: Bidgee, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

This profile updates sheet 32 of the plant profile booklet made for Colourful Tree Lopping in 2013. We checked every fact against current sources and rewrote it for the guide.

Checked October 2026. Weed listings and council rules change: check the council's and the Queensland Government's pages before you act.