Small to large tree with a variable height of 3 - 45 m and has a bole that is approximately 150 cm in diameter. It has deeply fissured, dark-grey to black coloured bark that appears quite scaly on older trees.
Inclined to ascending, narrowly rounded, lance-shaped, straight to slightly curved. 3-5 raised main veins with numerous secondary veins.
Pale yellow/golden to white clusters of 2 - 8 that flowers July – December. In Victoria, it flowers in August - October.
Seed pods strongly curved, twisted or coiled and 4 - 12 cm long, usually straight-sided to slightily constricted between seeds. Seeds longitudinal, twice-encircled by an orange to red funicle (elongated fleshy structure that supports the seed).
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First fully open single flower (each ‘flower ball’ is actually a cluster of 30-50 flowers)
Full flowering (record all days)
End of flowering (when 95% of the flowers have faded)
No flowering
Open seed pods (record all days)
Unopened seed pods
Blackwood is one of the most wide-ranging tree species in eastern Australia and considerably variable across its range, particularly in leaf size and shape.
Lightwood (Acacia implexa) differs in its whitish funicle around the seed, leaves that are more sickle-shaped and later flowering time.
