Acacia longifolia Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
Acacia longifolia — 19cm / 3L (Collection Only)19cm / 3L (Collection Only)
Sydney Golden Wattle (Long-leaved Wattle)

Acacia longifolia

£19.99
Protect from hard frostSun-lovingEvergreenLoved by pollinators
Pot size
19cm / 3L (Collection Only) £19.99

FREE tracked delivery on orders over £60

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Description

The Acacia longifolia, commonly known as the Sydney Golden Wattle or long-leaved wattle, is a fast, bushy evergreen that brings a burst of Australian sunshine to sheltered UK gardens. Long, narrow, willow-like phyllodes in bright green clothe the plant year round, and from late winter into spring it lights up with masses of fragrant, golden-yellow bottlebrush flower spikes that hum with early bees.

This is a plant for warmth and shelter rather than the open, frost-pocket garden. Rated RHS H3, it is happiest in mild coastal and city gardens and is safe to around -5C. Bear in mind that a cold, wet winter is the genuine hazard here, not the chill by itself: freezing, waterlogged soil will do far more damage than a short, dry frost. Give it a warm, sheltered spot with sharp drainage, and protect the crown and roots with fleece and mulch in colder gardens, or grow it in a container that can be moved under cover. See our hardy exotics, what to expect guide for how these tender exotics behave through the seasons.

Tough, wind-firm and salt-tolerant once settled, Acacia longifolia earns its place among our coastal and exposed plants, where its dense, billowing habit makes fast, informal screening and privacy. It is equally at home lending an exotic, sub-tropical note to exotic borders, and the scented spring flowers are a magnet for bees, so it sits happily among our plants for pollinators. In colder gardens it also makes a handsome, moveable specimen for a large pot that can be wheeled into a frost-free spot for winter.

Browse the rest of our hardy exotics collection to build a bold, architectural planting scheme. Every Acacia longifolia we supply is nursery-grown, selected for a healthy, well-branched shape and strong roots, and carefully packed to arrive in top condition.

Live Arrival Guarantee

All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit, and every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something is not right on arrival, we will make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.

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What to Expect

Seasonal by nature: what to expect

  • Grown outdoors, the way nature intended. Weather-tested and hardened in real UK conditions, so they thrive in your garden. A few marks on the older leaves are normal, the sign of a tough, real plant rather than a flaw.
  • It follows the seasons. Depending on when you order, your plant may arrive cut back, dormant or leafless. That's healthy: dormancy is the ideal time to plant.
  • Posted, not posed. Big leafy plants like bananas and gingers may be trimmed or gently folded to travel safely. It does the plant no harm, and it powers away again in spring.

Not sure what to expect from yours? Dormant, cut-back or weather-marked plants are all perfectly healthy and normal. Read what to expect through the seasons

Delivery & returns

Order by 1pm Monday to Friday for same day dispatch. Every plant travels in protective, plant-safe packaging with tracked delivery.

Changed your mind? See our Return Policy.

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How to care for Sydney Golden Wattle (Long-leaved Wattle)

Plant me in full sun and protect me when hard frost threatens.

In their words

What our customers say

Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.

Emily P.

Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.

James R.

Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.

Sophie L.
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About Sydney Golden Wattle (Long-leaved Wattle)

Acacia longifolia needs full sun and well-drained soil. It is half-hardy to around −5°C and needs protection from hard frost.

Good for

Coastal & Exposed Exotic Borders Screening & Privacy Wildlife & Pollinators

Hardiness

TenderVery hardy

RHS H3 · Semi-hardy · down to around −5°C

half hardy (RHS H3) to about -5C; wet on top of cold is what does the harm, so keep winter roots dry and protect in hard frosts.

Position

Full sunSouth-facingWest-facingExposedSheltered

full sun in a warm, sheltered spot, ideally against a south or west-facing wall, out of cold, drying winds.

Soil

ChalkLoamSandWell-drainedAcid pHNeutral pHAlkaline pH

light, free-draining sandy or loamy soil across acid, neutral and mildly alkaline pH; sharp drainage is essential and heavy, wet clay must be improved with grit.

Watering

Water regularly through the first summer to settle the roots, then only in prolonged dry spells, as it is very drought-tolerant once established. Keep it on the dry side over winter and never let it sit in cold, sodden soil. A spring mulch and a light feed are all it needs; avoid rich, nitrogen-heavy feeding, which produces soft growth that is more vulnerable to frost. Read moreShow less

Water regularly through the first summer to settle the roots, then only in prolonged dry spells, as it is very drought-tolerant once established. Keep it on the dry side over winter and never let it sit in cold, sodden soil. A spring mulch and a light feed are all it needs; avoid rich, nitrogen-heavy feeding, which produces soft growth that is more vulnerable to frost.

Mature size

Height4-8 m
Spread3-6 m

Reaches full size in 10-20 years

Growth habit

Bushy

Flowering

Late winter to spring · Yellow

Seasonal colour

Foliage

Evergreen

Pruning

Flowers in late winter and early spring. Prune after flowering to shape and contain size, staying on younger wood rather than old bare stems.

Toxicity

No reported toxicity to people or pets; Acacia longifolia is generally considered non-toxic, and its flowers and seeds have even been used in traditional bush foods. As with any plant, it is sensible to discourage pets and children from chewing the foliage.

Native range

E. & SE. Australia

Family

Fabaceae

Also known as

Acacia longifolia

Genus

Acacia
Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Acacia longifolia hardy in the UK?

Acacia longifolia is half hardy, rated RHS H3, so outdoors it is reliable only in mild coastal and city gardens, roughly to -5C. Crucially, cold combined with wet is far more dangerous than cold alone, so it needs very sharp drainage and a warm, sheltered spot. In colder gardens grow it in a pot you can move under cover, or fleece the crown and mulch the roots in hard frosts. See our hardy exotics guide for what to expect through the seasons.

Is Acacia longifolia evergreen?

Yes. Acacia longifolia is a fast-growing evergreen, holding its long, narrow, bright green phyllodes all year round, which makes it useful for year-round screening and privacy.

How big does Acacia longifolia grow?

It is fast and bushy, reaching around 4 to 8 m tall and 3 to 6 m wide over time. It responds well to pruning straight after flowering if you want to keep it more compact, for example in an exotic border or a large container.

When does Acacia longifolia flower?

From late winter into spring it produces masses of fragrant, golden-yellow bottlebrush flower spikes. These early, scented blooms are an excellent source of nectar for bees and other early pollinators.

Is Acacia longifolia toxic to pets or people?

Acacia longifolia has no reported toxicity to people or pets and is generally considered non-toxic; its flowers and seeds have even been used in traditional bush foods. As with any plant, it is still sensible to discourage pets and children from chewing the foliage.

Is Acacia longifolia good for coastal gardens?

Yes. Once established it is notably wind-firm and salt-tolerant, which makes it a strong choice for coastal and exposed gardens, where it also gives quick, informal screening and shelter.

Does my plant come with a pot?
Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.

It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.

If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit.
How big will my plant be when it arrives?
Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.

If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.

That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look.
What makes your plants different from the supermarket or garden centre?
There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.

Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.

When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.

We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.

Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.

It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.

Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.

Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help.
Will my plant survive being shipped?
Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.

During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.

That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 48 hours with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.

The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.
Why Grow Tropicals

Plants delivered the way they deserve

Packaged with Care

Packaged with Care

Every order is hand-packed in eco-friendly, protective packaging - refined through thousands of deliveries to ensure your plant arrives healthy, hydrated, and looking its best.

Backed by our Live Arrival Guarantee.

Perfect for Gifting

Perfect for Gifting

From rare collector’s pieces to easy-care favourites, our plants arrive fully potted and ready to enjoy. Add a personalised note at checkout for a thoughtful finishing touch.

Delivered fresh, beautiful, and gift-ready.

Sustainability at Heart

Sustainability at Heart

All plants are ethically sourced from trusted growers, never wild-collected. Every order ships carbon-neutral in minimal-waste packaging.

Good for your home - and the planet.

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Acacia longifolia
£19.99