Tue 2 Sep 2008
You Can Stick it in a Bottle…
Posted by anaglyph under Australiana, Plants
[10] Comments
In Australia, September 1, the first day of our Spring, is also called Wattle Day. And true to form, around Cow Central, the wattle is putting on a magnificent display – the bush reserve upon which my window opens, is today splendiferous with yellow blooms.
Australia has nearly a thousand different species of native wattle (Acacia) and most of these are endemic. They range from small, inconspicuous shrubs to trees of 50 meters or more in height.
The wattle blooms vary in colour from pale cream through soft lemon to fluorescent, vibrant yellow. Many species are scented with beautiful and distinct perfumes that can differ considerably. Wattle can also trigger allergies, and the beginning of Spring is, for some, the onset of the Hayfever Season.
Wattle typically makes a poor cut flower, the blooms disintegrating into thousands of tiny yellow hairs within a day or so of being in a vase. Which is why, on beautiful Spring mornings, it is much better to go for a stroll in the park and admire this versatile and attractive plant in its natural setting!
Happy Wattle Day!
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NB: For all the Australian pedants out there – yes, I am aware that I’m posting this on September 2. That would be because I am declaring this the first Internet Wattle Day, and accordingly I have adjusted the post date so that it falls about halfway between September 1 in Australia, and September 1 throughout the rest of the world! You heard it first on The Cow
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So, wattle you do with yourself for the rest of the day?
I’ll be celebrating by watching this.
What does it smell like? Does it smell sweet?
Yes, generally wattle is sweet smelling. Many different scents though. The one outside my window is kind of floral/lemony/powdery. There’s one in the park that smells like honey and tobacco.
But can you smoke it and get high?
Hey, I’m aspiring to be one of the aforementioned pedants, and I think when you wrote ‘sp. Acacia’ you might have meant ‘genus Acacia.’
JR
Malach: Yes. That’s the big secret we Australians hide from the rest of the world.
JR: Er… yes. That’s me getting things arse about in the typing. I have made it make sense. Pedant.
only you could get away with “declaring a day”
I’m smiling quietly to myself.
*stares at it with loathing*
Damn plant grows everywhere. And I’m allergic.