Honey Bun Sticky Wattle

Honey Bun Sticky Wattle (Acacia howittii 'Honey Bun') is a compact native shrub that hedges beautifully and smells of honey when the sun is on it. It grows to about 2m tall and 1.5m wide, a fraction of the 8m species it was selected from, with fine sticky green foliage and soft yellow flowers in late winter and spring. Planted 1m apart it makes a dense native hedge in two seasons.

Why you'll love it

• The scent is the point. Warm weather brings a honey fragrance off the foliage and flowers that carries several metres from the plant.
• Compact where the species is not. At 2m by 1.5m it hedges at a useful fence height instead of turning into a small tree.
• Fast, dense cover. Fine weeping foliage right down to the base, and screening height inside two seasons in a warm position.
• Birds and pollinators. Native bees and butterflies work the flowers, and small birds shelter in the dense fine growth.

Where it works best

Hedging and screening. Plant 1m apart in a single row for a dense hedge that holds anywhere between 1.2m and 2m. The soft texture reads far less rigid than a clipped exotic hedge.

Topiary and shaping. The fine foliage takes a shear cleanly, so it shapes into balls, low walls and soft mounds without the cut edges browning off.

Feature planting. A single plant near a path or seat puts the fragrance where you actually notice it, and the weeping habit suits a native or cottage bed.

Growing Honey Bun Sticky Wattle in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to part shade, with sun giving the heavier flowering. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens, is frost hardy once established and handles wind well.

Soil. Any soil that drains, including poor and gravelly ground. Avoid rich beds and heavy composting, since wattles grow soft and short lived when overfed. On clay, plant on a mound.

Water and feed. Water weekly through the first summer, then only in extended dry spells. A low phosphorus native fertiliser once in early spring is all it wants.

Pruning. Trim lightly after flowering every year, taking only the soft outer growth. Regular light trimming keeps it dense and extends its life; a hard cut into bare wood usually will not reshoot.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown as tubestock, in 140mm pots in packs of ten, and in 200mm and 250mm pots in packs of six and three. The smaller sizes are young and slim, and they are the value choice for a long hedge because wattles establish faster when planted small. The 250mm plants give you a season's head start.

Fine foliage can look flattened after transit and lifts within a week. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee. Be aware that wattles are naturally short lived, generally ten to fifteen years, and light annual trimming helps them last.

Plant care guides and related reading

• The complete acacia care guide
• Browse Australian native shrubs
• Compare screening plants from 1m to 2m
• Plants that suit topiary and shaping

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a hedge?

1m apart in a single row. At that spacing the plants meet within two seasons and each one still has room to fill out at the base.

How long does it live?

Ten to fifteen years is realistic, which is normal for a wattle rather than a fault. Light trimming after flowering each year keeps it dense and helps it reach the upper end of that range.

Why is the foliage sticky?

The leaves carry a natural resin, which is where the common name comes from and what produces the honey scent on warm days. It is harmless and washes off skin with water.