notes: closely related to a. longifolia though can be readily distinguished by the glandular resinous phyllode margin. Seems to like sandy soils, including sand stone escarpments up to and over 1000m where rainfall is high enough, or along rivers or creeks. Seems to be able to handle quite cold conditions, growing prolifically in areas that receive frosts and rarely snow. Should be ok for cultivation in most areas of near coastal E Aust, and may live longer in cultivation, especially if pruned. Many plants in the wild have dead branches due to borers, which are attracted to many acacias. Also I have seen plants suckering from the roots after the entire above ground part of the plant has been killed by intense bushfires. Pods seem to contain saponins as they produce a froth when shaken with water, saponins have been reported from the pods of other acacias. Some plants have a deep red colouring to the phyllodes, sometimes the foliage of the whole plant, seemingly on a permanent basis, giving the plant a striking and distinctive appearance.
Specific cultivation notes for A. obtusifolia.
Another thing I have noticed is that on many specimens, from different areas, there were marks or wounds on the stems. These wounds are usually about a 10 x 2.5 cm strip down the stems, with the bark being removed and the wood underneath damaged as well. As the bark doesn’t grow back these marks persist for along time. Recently I found some trees with many of these wounds that had been freshly made and I now believe that they are made by an animal. It seems that the animals open up the stems to get at the grubs that bore into the tree, many plants contain these white grubs that bore tunnels up the inside of the wood, the wood had been broken up to get access to these grubs. A zoologist recently informed me that it is most probably Cockatoos that do this to get at the grubs!