Burgundy Cascade River Wattle

Burgundy Cascade River Wattle (Acacia cognata 'Burgundy Cascade') is a fast growing native shrub that reaches about 3m tall and 2m wide. You grow it for the foliage: long, slender, weeping leaves in mid green tinted burgundy-red, falling in a soft waterfall shape. It handles frost, dry spells and coastal wind, so it makes a relaxed screen where a plain green hedge would look flat.

Why you'll love it

• Burgundy-tinted foliage. The narrow leaves carry a blush of burgundy-red over mid green, so you get colour from the foliage and not only from a flowering season.
• A soft, weeping shape. The cascading leaves hang like a waterfall and move in the breeze, which gives an informal screen far more life than clipped hedging.
• Fast growing. It builds into a medium sized shrub quickly, which suits a new garden that needs cover.
• Frost, drought and coast tolerant. It grows in any well drained soil, even salty soil, which is more than most screening plants can manage.
• Useful to wildlife. The small, creamy, fluffy flowers add pollen for bees and other insects, although the foliage is the main attraction.

Where it works best

Informal hedges and screens. Plant 1.5m apart in a single row. The shrubs join into a soft screen about 2m wide within a few seasons, and a light trim gives a tidier line.

Windbreaks and coastal gardens. Plant 2m apart in a staggered double row for a windbreak. Its salt tolerance means it can stand on the exposed side of a seaside block.

Feature shrub. Used on its own in a native bed, the burgundy tones stand out beside silver and green foliage plants.

Growing Burgundy Cascade River Wattle in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun. It is frost tolerant once established, though young plants need protection from frost, and it suits coastal, temperate and drier inland gardens across much of the country.

Soil. Any well drained soil, including sandy and salty ground. Avoid sites where water sits.

Water and feed. Mulch and water regularly for around 12 weeks until established, after which it copes with dry spells. A slow release native fertiliser after pruning promotes healthy growth.

Pruning. It responds well to pruning, so shape it after flowering or whenever needed. Trim the leafy tips lightly and often, because wattles reshoot poorly from bare wood. The cut stems make good indoor foliage.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Burgundy Cascade River Wattle as tube stock, a young plant in an 80mm deep tube that establishes quickly. Fast growing wattles catch up quickly, so tubes are a sensible, economical choice for a long screen. Expect a small, slender plant on arrival, and keep it out of hard frost through its first winter.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the full wattle range
• More hedging and screening plants
• Plants for windbreaks and exposed sites
• Acacia care guide for Australian gardens

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a screen?

Plant 1.5m apart in a single row. It is about 2m wide when mature, so the plants overlap into a continuous screen without crowding each other.

Will it cope with salt wind?

Yes. It is coastal tolerant and grows even in salty soils, so it suits exposed seaside blocks as well as inland gardens.

How long will it live?

Fast growing wattles are not long lived, often 10 to 20 years. That makes this an excellent quick screen, and you can plant slower trees behind it to take over later.