Let me tell you what a wattle is

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Recently I wrote about our writing group member who won the Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Award for unpublished novel. His book was first entitled ‘Blood on the Wattle’ but was changed to ‘Blood in the Dust’. The publisher believed the latter would make a better global title. I was surprised that some myLotters didn’t know the term ‘wattle’ so I thought I’d write about it. Wattle trees are members of the acacia genus and there are some 1350 species throughout the world with almost 1,000 of them being found in Australia. Acacia Pycnantha, or golden wattle, (see photo) is Australia’s national floral emblem. Wattle Day is celebrated on the 1st of September each year. Acacias are found in Australia, Africa, Madagascar, throughout the Asia - Pacific region and in the Americas. With such a large number of species it will be no surprise to learn that there is a range of foliage types and colours. Some are prostrate while others grow into shrubs or trees. The flowers may be either globular heads or cylindrical spikes. They flower throughout the year although the bulk of species flower during spring and summer. The cookbook we had to have at high school was called the Golden Wattle and is still reprinted from time to time.