Acacia leprosa 'Scarlet Blaze'

Contents:

Plant  information

Common name:                Scarlet Blaze  

Conservation status:  ...

Etymology:   

• Borrowed from Latin acacia, from Ancient Greek ἀκακία (akakía) "a thorny Egyptian tree", from ἀκή (akḗ) "point, thorn

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Flowers:                  

• Red flowers appear in globular flower heads from late winter to early spring

• The red flowers are rare in the genus Acacia sensu lato where flower colour usually ranges from cream to yellow to gold

• There are other red-flowered species including Acacia pervillei and Acacia sakalava from Madagascar and Acacia reniformis from Mexico, however with the ongoing reorganisation of Acacia, most non-Australian species are in the process of being assigned to other genera

Fruit:                         

Leaves:         

• In common with all forms of Cinnamon Wattle, the leaves of the cultivar release a cinnamon-like scent from its foliage, particularly in hot weather

Stem & branches: 

Roots:         

Habit:        

• It is a small tree or large shrub, growing to 5 m high and 3 m wide

Habitat:   

Distribution:                  

Additional notes:    

• Discovery and introduction to cultivation

  • The original plant was first sighted in 1995 by a group of bushwalkers in the Black Range State Forest, north-east of Melbourne

  • It was a single red-flowering plant growing among the usual yellow flowered forms of the large phyllode variant of Acacia leprosa (Acacia leprosa var. uninervia) that was described as "8 feet tall and spreading"

  • The plant was propagated from cuttings by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne

  • Of these, three survived from which all currently grown plants are derived

  • In 1998 an application for plant breeders rights was made by Bill Molyneux on behalf of the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne which was granted in 2003

  • The sole original plant has since died

  • The cultivar was released by Plant Growers Australia in Park Orchards in August 2001 in time for the plant to become Victoria's Centenary of Federation floral emblem

• Cultivation

  • 'Scarlet Blaze' prefers moist, well drained soils but has been found to be drought tolerant

  • Flowering and growth are promoted by a position in full sun, but some shade is tolerated

  • As with all cultivars, 'Scarlet Blaze' must be propagated by cuttings to produce true-to-type plants

  • Propagation from seeds has resulted in plants with flowers with a colour that ranges from yellow to red

• Overview & origin (ANBG)

  • Scarlet Blaze, one of the twentieth century's most surprising and significant horticultural discoveries is Victoria's Centenary of Federation floral emblem

  • The blood-red variety of the Cinnamon Wattle (Acacia leprosa) was found growing in a Victorian forest in 1995 by two bush walkers

  • They took cuttings to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne, which manages a specialised plant conservation program, thereby saving many plants from probable extinction

  • The Garden's horticultural staff successfully propagated the extraordinary hybrid from cuttings rather than seed in order to preserve the unusual blood-red colouring

  • When grown from seed, the red colouring reverts to the more traditional yellow flower

  • Scarlet Blaze will be launched through Plant Growers Australia later in 2001 onto the horticultural market

  • It is estimated that the plant may generate at least 20,000 sales, with an interest from Europe, the US and Asia

  • Dr Phillip Moors, Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne, said: "It is fitting that Scarlet Blaze has been chosen as the State's floral emblem because its discovery and subsequent conservation has made horticultural history"

  • Worldwide there are about 1200 acacia species, of which 950 are in Australia. Acacia leprosa is regarded as a particularly hardy large shrub or small tree with a weeping, slender habit

  • It can grow throughout much of Australia, flowering in August and September, and is an ideal home garden plant