Y for YELLOW

Acacia pycnantha (Golden Wattle) is Australia's national floral emblem. It is a native tree which flowers in late winter and spring, producing a mass of fragrant, fluffy, yellow flowers. Although wattles, and in particular the Golden Wattle, have been the informal floral emblem of Australia for many years, it was not until Australia’s bicentenary in 1988 that the Golden Wattle was formally adopted as the Floral Emblem of Australia. The date of gazettal was 1 September which was marked by a ceremony at the Australian National Botanic Gardens which included the planting of a Golden Wattle by Hazel Hawke, the Prime Minister’s wife. In 1992, 1 September was formally declared as "National Wattle Day".

Golden Wattle occurs in south-eastern Australia from South Australia’s southern Eyre Peninsula into western Victoria and northwards into inland areas of southern New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. It is found in the understory of open eucalypt forests on dry, shallow soils. It is naturalised in areas within all the southern states of Australia as well as South Africa and California.

The Darebin Parklands have a multitude of wattle species growing throughout the area, including the Golden Wattle. Once the wattles start to bloom and their cheerful yellow flowers brighten the bushland in mid- to late Winter, one knows that Spring is just around the corner.

This post is part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,

and also part of the ABC Wednesday meme,

and also part of the Nature Notes meme.