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Plants

Acacia cognata and cultivars

Alison Aplin

Alison Aplin

August 26, 2012

As a dedicated plant lover, what I look for first with any plant is its foliage and how it would work in the garden. The plant Acacia cognata is one that seems to fit in well almost anywhere – as either a formal plant or in mixed planting.

Acacia ‘Fettucini’ (Photo from PMA)

There are numerous dwarf forms, those that I have tried are ‘Limelight’, ‘Fettucine’ and ‘Mini Cog’. There has been a lot of hype about ‘Limelight’ of late, but I have not had a lot of success with it. Because of this, I am now trialling it in a pot, which I plant on incrementally as the plant seems to require. I have found the other two to be far stronger in growth.

Acacia cognata Photo by Melburnian

The parent plant grows up to 10m in good conditions. Commonly called the River Wattle, this very attractive weeping wattle has pale yellow flower balls between July and October. The plant is endemic to Australia, naturally occurring in NSW and Victoria. Pruning is not required to keep the plant looking good.

Acacia ‘Mini Cog’ Photo from Bushmajik

 

All of the cultivars are frost tolerant, suitable for coastal and inland planting, are relatively drought tolerant once established and tolerate full sun to part shade. The variety ‘Mini Cog’ grows .75 cm tall by 1.8 metres across.

Acacia ‘Fettucini’ (photo PMA)

‘Fettucine’ is more compact, with the same height but half the spread. The foliage has a twisted appearance to it, making it a very desirable plant in the garden or rockery as a foliage display.

The variety ‘Copper Tips’ is fast growing and quite stunning. We have it growing in a couple of places in our garden, in full sun and in quite a bit of shade under gum trees. Both are doing really well. It will grow up to 6 metres tall in an upright fashion, but will probably spread somewhat with age. The new growth is copper coloured, hence the name. It is a fantastic foliage plant, but also has potential as a screen plant because it is quite dense. Planted in a row behind other foliage or general shrubbery, it would make an excellent feature screen.

Acacia ‘Lime Magik’

‘Lime Magik’ is a soft lime green form with strongly pendulous foliage like a Weeping Willow. This plant will grow to 4 metres, initially quite erect but broadening with age. It has pale yellow flowers but it is the foliage that this plant is grown for, like the ‘Copper Tips’.

The main prerequisite of this plant and its cultivars is the need for good drainage. Irrigation is needed while young and actively growing, but once well established, will tolerate dryness well. If planted near to trees, then supplementary water will be needed during extended periods of dry.

 

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Glenys paterson
Glenys paterson
7 years ago

I have the acacia mini cog which are now quite large so why are they sold as dwarf. I put them in as a border and now they are nearly 160cm tall and over a metre wide. Can I cut them back.

Catherine Stewart
Admin
7 years ago

Hi Glenys – Alison Aplin has sent me this reply for you…
Did you know that anyone can have a label printed? You don’t have to be experienced or knowledgeable to do so. For this reason one should regard labels as a guide only to heights and widths. The parent plant, Acacia cognata can grow up to at least 10 metres high, so mini cog is still dwarf of this size at 1.6 metres.
If you cut them back you will lose the beautiful habit and they may not reshoot. You have a dilemma.
All this hybridising to me is going overboard. Why not allow people to get used to the new varieties before constantly bombarding us with new cultivars all the time? Its hard on the nurseries also because what they stock may not be the right variety.
I have a tendency to stick with species plants where possible – these labels tend to be better tested for plant heights and widths.
I hope that this helps.

Helen Young
11 years ago

I love these plants but think most are doomed to failure in Sydney. Sadly, they don’t seem to cope with our summer humidity at all and I very rarely see any that are growing well. In a pot they have a better chance. Those that do survive are terribly prone to scale, which I suspect is related to their struggle to thrive here. I’ve seen them looking great in the Blue Mountains though, where the climate suits them better.

AliCat
11 years ago
Reply to  Helen Young

Hi Helen
I think that you might have the answer to my poor performing Limelights – humidity. I have even tried one in a large pot and it is now defoliating and not looking too happy. It is not potbound either. We are coastal and have high humidity for a lot of the year. Drainage is not a problem where I have grown them, so can only assume that it is the humidity. Mind you I have also had other people tell me that their are poor performers, so can’t quite
work out why. But I do know that I wouldn’t grow again. Mini Cog is far better as is Copper Tips.
Alison

Rosie Marson
Rosie Marson
7 years ago
Reply to  AliCat

I agree, I think it is Sydney’s humidity. It is the only plant in our new garden that is just not coping, I’ll see if it works in a pot. thanks for advising.
Rosie

Paul washuta
Paul washuta
7 years ago
Reply to  AliCat

Paul from Brisbane. Agreed. One 40C day, high humidity = 2 of 3 limelights dead and one clinging to life. Part shade, with irrigation.

Sally
Sally
9 years ago

Hi I am looking for advice. I am a huge fan of the acacia cognata plant and the numerous varieties. I have some beautiful Copper tips trees, several of the River Wattle and many of the mini cognata as well as Acacia ‘Fettucini’ All are growing well and thriving. My questions- Can you prune them? the foliage is all at the top and about 1.5 m high?? or is it possible to transplant the Acacia ‘Fettucini’ ?? I want t relocate them in my garden as they have grown too big they are at the front of a garden bed and overshadow the plants behind ? How would I do this without killing them?? thanks Sally

matilda7
matilda7
5 years ago

hi Alison, i’ve just been looking for a Lime Magik to grow as a screening tree, so it was good to read the comment above that they don’t thrive in southern climes -i’m in Melbourne. I’ve come across Acacia ‘Green Scree’, which may be an alternative – yet the price is unbelievable, btw $120- 200! So my question is which Acacia Cognata would be best as a screening tree, in sandy soil, and why is the Green Screen so expensive? Thanks.

Karen Shaw
Admin
5 years ago
Reply to  matilda7

Hi Matilda7,

I have found that all of the Acacia cognata varieties do not do well in sand unless they are really well and deeply watered. And even then there isn’t a guarantee that they will survive if the sand pH is high as can sometimes be the case. If there is clay subsoil it will be better.

I have my variety Acacia cognata ‘Copper Tips’ growing in a couple of places, and both in a protected area with some shade. But they are growing in soil with a clay subsoil.

Instead of wasting money why not try the Agonis flexuosa ‘Lemon and Lime’ which is much tougher. Or the similar ‘Burgundy’ variety. They don’t need anywhere near the amount of water as the wattle.

The reason that the Acacia cognata ‘Green Scree’ is expensive appears to be because of the pot size. On line research has plants for sale growing in a 30cm pot, which means that it is a relatively big plant. The larger the pot size, the more expensive the plant.”

Hope this helps. Alison

AliCat
11 years ago

I agree with you about the ‘Fettuccine’ – it is quirky which is instantly appealing to me.
I have found ‘Mini Cog’ to be better suited to our climate – not as demanding of water and stronger in general.
Alison

Mike
Mike
10 years ago

Here is the the article https://gardendrum.com/2013/02/21/favourite-acacia-raised-to-new-heights/#comment-17932
but I’m not quite sure what the rootstock that Acacia cognata grafted on top of it. This is very interesting indeed.

Robyne Undy
Robyne Undy
5 years ago

I planted 5 Fettucini and they have grown huge! I would like to cut them back but I am not sure when to do this. I was thinking now (May, I am in Melton, Victoria) and I was going to take them back to about 20cm. They are presently overwhelming the garden and are at least 2.5 m.

Cheers
Robyne

Catherine Stewart
Admin
11 years ago

I’ve had an Acacia ‘Limelight’ in the garden for several years now. It’s part shaded, & that side has died right off but the rest is still looking good. People often comment on its lovely, limey foliage and weeping habit. I like the look of Acacia ‘Fettucine’ though, with that narrower form, so I think I’ll give it a try too.

Amanda
11 years ago

I was interested to read your article on the Acacias. I am disappointed you haven’t had much luck with ‘Limelight’ though. As you mention, there has been a lot of hype around it lately – it has just celebrated its 10th year in the marketplace, a milestone for a plant. At Plants Management Australia it is one of the most popular varieties in our portfolio and we receive numerous positive comments from it every week.
Glad ‘Fettucini’ is performing well for you. It’s also worth checking out Acacia ‘Curvaceous’, ‘Bower Beauty’ and ‘Green Mist’ if you’re a fan of dwarf Acacias.

Mike
Mike
10 years ago

Anyone know the name of the rootstock that Acacia cognata can be grafted on? Thanks

Alison
Alison
10 years ago
Reply to  Mike

Hello Mike
I am sorry but I can’t answer that question. I have never heard of Acacia cognata being grafted. Angus Stewart may be better able to help here.

SpicyRedHead
SpicyRedHead
10 years ago

Good to read this article, as it reassures me that I am not the only Sydneysider who has problems keeping Acacia Cognatas alive. My first ‘Limelight’ survived happily in a hot afternoon sun position for years, but when we demolished old house, sadly this had to be transplanted and of course promptly ‘kicked the bucket’
Since then I have purchased 2 varieties at different times, the last being Fettucine, but after a year, it is now getting that look, turning brown, dropping foliage etc. Have tried growing them in the ground and in pots, all to no avail. After 3 disasters, I think it’s time to give up on Acacia Cognata and stick to shrubs that like being in my garden!

LusciousLiv
LusciousLiv
10 years ago

I had a new small Lime Magik in my Canberra garden which did not survive the hot summer (2013-2014, despite lots of watering). I am now considering another Acacia Cognata cultivar variety to see if I have any luck the second time around. I need to get it in the ground this Autumn so it is well established before the winter and frosts come. I want it to be bushy (to screen the back fence and neighbours) and about 2-3metres high, preferably fast growing, so I’m thinking the ’emerald curl’ or ‘copper tips’ might be the way to go. Do the copper tips of the ‘copper tip’ variety turn green when they get older? I think i read somewhere that the tips are only copper when the shoots are new. Any advice appreciated.

Amanda Mackinnon
9 years ago

Hi Sally,
I am also a fan of the cognatas, and PMA works with many of the varieties that you mention. Whilst the Copper Tips respond really well to a good hard prune (it really encourages them to bush right up), this is not the case with all the others. Yes, you can prune the smaller varieties but don’t prune them all the way back to dead wood as they won’t recover.
Fettuccini can be pruned (with the above in mind) however I’m not 100% sure you have a Fettuccini as it sounds taller than they normally grow. If all the growth is on the top and the wood underneath is dead you need to be careful not to worsen the situation.
Like many natives, they won’t respond well to transplanting, so I would avoid this. The success rate will be low. You would be better to plant new stock in your new area.

trevor
trevor
9 years ago

Thinking of using the lime magik but have heard that it only has a life-span of 4-5 years. Can anyone verify this?

Alison Aplin
7 years ago
Reply to  trevor

I do not believe that this variety [Lime Magik] is worth growing. It may do better in semi tropical regions but further south with colder winter soils appears to do badly. I think drainage may be a strong prerequisite for this variety.
I have never yet seen a good specimen.
Alison

Corrine Cosby
7 years ago

Hi Alison, i have two acacia cognata mini cogs and have had them for two years. They have grown beautifully but i want to move them to a nicer area for them to grow. I would like to know do they need to be trimmed back to transplant?and do i make sure that all soil surrounding root system stays together or can they be broken up a bit?

Rose
Rose
5 years ago

Anyone know how to get an Acacia Cognata Lime Magik in the US? Want to try growing this! I have a Cousin It that is very slow growing but lovely.

Alison Aplin
5 years ago

Im sorry Rose, but I can’t help you. They are cutting grown. They don’t appear to be easily grown from my observation.

matilda7
matilda7
5 years ago

Thanks very much Alison. I guess the reason i was interested in Iime magik was because the spot i had in mind is quite narrow, between a lemon tree & a bouganvillea! I definitely want to put a native there, perhaps the Burgundy Agonis would work – if you could recommend any other native shrubs that stay fairly narrow i would be grateful.

Pauline Martin
Pauline Martin
4 years ago

Straight and narrow syzygy up might work

Alison
Alison
10 years ago

Hello LusciousLiv,
As a plant fanatic, I keep persevering with this plant group to see how different varieties perform. I have found the copper tipped varieties to be good performers. They also retain some of their coppery growth throughout.
I feel that success is based on drainage more so than anything else. The plant that I have as a rainforest specimen, that is growing amongst tree ferns, is doing splendidly in my garden. It is on a steep slope (at the bottom) but has a limestone subsoil under all the mulch.
Another plant is growing in an area that flooded in early spring. It is not growing as well but is still looking good. The drainage isnt too bad here – the water soaked in within 48 hours in spring.
It seems to me to be the smaller varieties that are the most unreliable, but they also need a well drained soil with ample summer water.
I hope that this has helped.
Alison