Unity and resilience:
The wattle is one species made of many genus of flora growing in all climates and regions across Australia. The golden wattle was adopted by Australia as the floral emblem and is a symbol of unity.
Wattle is ideally suited to withstand Australia's droughts, winds and bushfires. The resilience of wattle is said to represents the spirit of the Australian people.
September 1 is celebrated as National Wattle Day in Australia. It's a day to appreciate the significance of the wattle and its contribution to Australian identity.
Cheerful Heart:
In 1918, May Gibbs, the popular Australian children's author, wrote the book 'Wattle Babies', in which a third-person narrator describes the lives of imaginary inhabitants of the Australian forests (the 'bush'). The main characters are the Wattle Babies, who are tiny people that look like acacia flowers and who interact with various forest creatures.
Gibbs wrote "Wattle Babies are the sunshine of the Bush. In Winter, when the sky is grey and all the world seems cold, they put on their yellowest clothes and come out, for they have such cheerful hearts."
Gibbs was referring to the fact that an abundance of acacias flower in August in Australia, in the midst of the southern hemisphere winter.
Women's Strength:
In Russia, Italy, and other countries, it is customary to present women with yellow mimosas on International Women's Day (March 8). These "mimosas" may be from A. dealbata (silver wattle).
A small tree with delicate feathery foliage and golden-yellow flowers.
A species of acacia which grows in southeastern Australia.
Golden wattle is the official floral emblem of Australia.
Widely grown as ornamentals in gardens; with its attractive glaucous to silvery leaves and bright yellow flowers. It is erroneously known as "mimosa" in some areas.
A valuable timber tree with great economic significance.
'Wattle' refers to a genus of many plants, known by many names, such as mimosa, acacia, and thorntree.
Native to Australia and South Africa, there are several well-known varieties with over 1,000 species in Australia alone. This makes them one of the largest and most diverse plant genera in the country.
Wattles are easily recognized by their bright yellow, fluffy flowers and green, often fern-like leaves. Did I say 'leaves'? Acacia species actually have 'phyllodes instead of true leaves. Phyllodes are modified flattened leaf stalks that act like leaves, an adaptation to help the plant reduce water loss.
Indigenous Australians have used wattles for food (see Wattle Seeds, right), medicine, tools, and weapons.
The seeds of some species can be ground into flour, and the resin from some wattles can be used as an adhesive.
The Wattle bark extract may be used in timber laminating and finger-jointing
Acacia gum, also known as gum arabic, is used in the food industry as a stabilizer.
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