Scarlet Blaze

Acacia leprosa 'Scarlet Blaze' is one of the more surprising discoveries of 20th century horticulture. In 1995, bush-walkers in a state forest north-east of Melbourne chanced upon a remarkable plant - a single Acacia leprosa (Cinnamon Wattle) with blood-red flowers. Literally millions of wattles grow in the Australian bush and in parks and gardens across the country, but almost without exception they exhibit only yellow or cream flowers.

Nursery staff at the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne successfully propagated the original plant cutting, and the new plants were conserved in the Gardens' nursery. The parent plant in the bush has since perished, but the plants in the nursery thrived, exhibiting the same striking blood-red flowers. In 2001 Scarlet Blaze’ was commercially released. Victorian garden-lovers are now able to plant and nurture their own specimen of this unusual and attractive wattle.

The successful conservation and propagation of this truly unique blood-red wattle is a wonderful horticultural achievement.