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Acacia leprosa ‘Scarlet Blaze’

This is an oddity which you probably won’t easily find anywhere else. It’s the world’s only red-flowering wattle. As you probably know, wattles usually range in colour from white through cream to light and then bright yellow (with one mauve species from northern Australia and a pink species in Tasmania). But ‘Scarlet Blaze’ is a colour mutant of the normally yellow-flowering Acacia leprosa, the cinnamon wattle. Victoria selected this mutation as its state flower in celebration of the Bicentenary of Federation in 2001 and the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne has released it commercially. 

It prefers a well-drained, moist soil in full sun to dappled shade and is quite drought tolerant, requiring only occasional deep watering once established.

Common nameAcacia 'Scarlet Blaze'
Scientific nameAcacia leprosa ‘Scarlet Blaze’
FamilyFabaceae - Mimosoideae
Etymology

Genus: From the Greek akakia, the name of Acacia arabica, of tropical Africa and Western Asia (from akis, a sharp point, as this is a spiny species).

Species: Having a scurfy appearance, 'spotted like a leper'.

DistributionOriginally one red-flowering plant in the Black Range State Forest north-east of Melbourne, Victoria. This plant is now dead.
Native habitatWoodland.
DescriptionA medium shrub to small tree, a weeping form with large phyllodes and red flowers.
Flowering/fruitingFlowers in late winter/early spring at the Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan.
Location in gardenYou’ll find this plant in the Wattle Garden in Beds 126, 133 and 141.
Garden ExplorerView Acacia leprosa ‘Scarlet Blaze’ on Garden Explorer