Home / Plants / Grow / Silver Wattle

Silver Wattle

Acacia dealbata · Fabaceae · all Acacia records

Your local evidence lens

Separate evidence questions, never one approval badge

Set a ZIP to compare this record with state distribution, native range, USDA hardiness, and invasive records.

A genus split is not a placement verdict. Set a ZIP to read the local documented split.

1. Fire evidence and conditions

Fire evidence: Highly flammable — location does not change the cited classification.
Fire-performance conditions: 1 condition stated in cited fire-evidence rows.
Fire ecology context: No section-reviewed fire-ecology context is normalized.
Placement evidence: 3 source placement records; source schemes remain separate.
Evidence regions: Australian Capital Territory, Australia; Catalonia, Spain; Global; Mediterranean France / Provence; New Zealand; Peñuelas Lake National Reserve, Valparaíso, Chile; Tasmania, Australia; Victoria, Australia
Maintenance: No sourced horticultural maintenance assertion is normalized; fire-test conditions do not supply maintenance advice.

2. Why this plant is relevant here

State distribution: Documented in CA, OR.
Native range: No current cited or legacy state native range is normalized.
Introduced / established: 2 sourced range or established records; set a location to match them. This is not an invasive warning.
USDA hardiness: No hardiness value is normalized.

3. Legal, ecological, and broader status

Legal-list status: Set a location for an exact legal-list result; source silence is not clearance.
Seed-list status: Set a location to compare the separate state noxious-weed seed layer.
Reported invasive here: 1 ecological invasive report; set a location to distinguish exact from regional context.
Broader regional context: Aggregate AK, HI, and L48 evidence is shown only as regional context, never as an exact-state finding.
Federal context: Federal designations remain separate from state legal-list results.

Keep away. Condemned as highly flammable by 4 of 5 independent primary-evidence lineages; APS Victoria's field observations disagrees. The majority direction governs — the recommendation is shown in full below.

▲ APS Victoria's field observations · fire-tested ▼ the Tasmania Fire Service list ▼ New Zealand's FENZ laboratory directory · fire-tested ▼ the INRA Avignon fire laboratory · fire-tested ▼ Thermo- and physicochemical properties of native and exot… · fire-tested

Computed class: Highly flammable (majority) — derived from the cited evidence by a published rule, never hand-assigned. Each chip above is one independent primary-evidence lineage and its direction. No plant is fireproof; condition and placement govern. Zone 0 is hardscape regardless.

How to read this page

The status above is computed from the cited rows below: independent recommendations can support a fire-resistant result, an avoid row can produce keep-away, and disagreement stays visible as conflict. Placement notes preserve each source’s own scheme rather than translating unlike rules into one scale. This is evidence about a plant, not permission to plant it in every part of the defensible space; Zone 0 remains noncombustible.

Silver Wattle (Acacia dealbata) — Photo: (c) Jose Castro, some rights reserved (CC BY) (CC BY), via iNaturalist. Species-typical, not necessarily this cultivar.

Form: tree
Grows in: CA, OR
Rated in: Australian Capital Territory, Australia; Catalonia, Spain; Global; Mediterranean France / Provence +4
Family: Fabaceae
Evidence: 23 cited sources

Native and introduced range evidence

These are exact U.S. botanical-area records from the cited range source. Native and introduced describe biogeographic relationship, not fire performance or planting approval. Doubtful and extinct rows stay visible but do not count as current presence.

Current native

0

exact source areas

Current introduced

2

exact source areas

Qualified

0

doubtful or extinct source rows

2 introduced source areas · World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16 v16, as of 2026-06-04

California (CA)
Oregon (OR)

The lossless worldwide derivative is retained once in the research corpus; object pages repeat only exact U.S. areas needed by the local lens. The JSON twin carries the same page assertions.

Conditions in the fire evidence

These describe tested or rated plant material. They are not horticultural maintenance instructions.

green: Thermo- and physicochemical properties of native and exotic forest species of Valparaíso evidence row, Leaf thermal and chemical properties as natural drivers of plant flammability evidence row

Where its sources say to plant it

Placement rules below use each source's own distances or named zones, tied to its rating. They are not interchangeable with the directory's current Zone 0 guidance.

Fire Resisting Garden Plants for the Urban Fringe and Rur…: remove from the Building Protection Zone; avoid in the Fuel Modified Zone [Texas Building Protection Zone] (with its avoid rating)
Guía de pirojardinería: prohibited as a regulated invasive plant; not a fire-suitability verdict [girona-2020-iuf-25m-suitability] (mid-scale rating)
Canberra Plant Selector: filtered result page 18 [canberra-selector] (with its recommendation)

The evidence

Grouped by what each source concluded. Primary evidence rated the plant itself (a lab, field program, or original curation); corroboration compiled or republished another source's rating and resolves to its root lineage.

Avoids (5)

Fire Resisting Garden Plants for the Urban Fringe and Rural Areas — Tasmania Fire Service (Chladil & Sheridan; photographs Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens) · 2017 · original source Primary evidence Expert-curated lineage: utas-tree

“High Flammability”
Low Flammability Plants directory — Fire and Emergency New Zealand (plant flammability testing at Lincoln University) · 2026 · original source Primary evidence Lab-tested lineage: lincoln-nz-tree

“Moderate/high flammability”

Moderate/high flammability classification. On FENZ's high-flammability environmental weeds list (2024 DOC list).
Inflammabilités des espèces forestières méditerranéennes (Valette 1990) — INRA Station de Sylviculture méditerranéenne, Avignon (Revue Forestière Française XLII) · 1990 · original source Primary evidence Lab-tested lineage: inra-tree

“INRA inflammability note 4 of 5 (July-September maximum)” · score 4 (inra-0-5)

Monthly inflammability notes May-April: 0, 1, 3, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5 (epiradiator tests, INRA Avignon).

Source wording: “hautement inflammable”
Thermo- and physicochemical properties of native and exotic forest species of Valparaíso — International Journal of Wildland Fire (Guerrero et al.; UTFSM) · 2020 · original source Primary evidence Lab-tested lineage: guerrero-utfsm-tree

“HHV class 5 (extremely high risk)” · score 5 (hhv-risk-1-5) · condition: green

The paper applies the published HHV risk scale and reports a mean leaf flash point of 317 °C; flash-point precision is explicitly described as low.
Leaf thermal and chemical properties as natural drivers of plant flammability — IJERPH (Guerrero et al.; UTFSM) · 2021 · original source Primary evidence Lab-tested lineage: guerrero-utfsm-tree

“Extremely flammable (FI 5)” · score 5 (valette-0-5-live-leaf) · condition: green

All 50 live-leaf samples ignited; mean ignition time was 9.65 s.

Listed without a rating (16)

Guía de pirojardinería — guía práctica de jardinería adaptada a la prevención de incendios forestales — Diputació de Girona and Bombers de la Generalitat de Catalunya · 2020 Spanish edition · original source Primary evidence Expert-curated lineage: elvira-hernando-1989 + cooperem-tree

“PROHIBIDA”

Acacia dealbata is rated “PROHIBIDA” by the guide's qualitative IUF garden-suitability method. The method assumes species-specific care and integrates fire evidence with fuel structure, maintenance, origin, invasiveness, and expert fire-service experience.
FLAMITS: FLAMmability plant traiTS database — Dryad / Global Ecology and Biogeography · Dryad version 9 · original source Corroboration Trait database lineage: meta-aggregator

15 cited rows from this source; its identity, lineage and tier are stated once.
- “ignition frequency (%): 100” · score 100 (FLAMITS — ignition frequency (%))
  
  FLAMITS record 1321; Ignitability measurement; plant part branches; fuel all; predrying yes; device grill; site Cui2020a-1; sampling ND. Primary study Cui2020a: Cui, X., Paterson, A. M., Wyse, S. V., Alam, M. A., Maurin, K. J. L., Pieper, R., ... Curran, T. J. (2020a). Shoot flammability of vascular plants is phylogenetically conserved and related to habitat fire-proneness and growth form. Nature Plants, 6, 355-359.
- “maximum sample temperature (°C): 673.7” · score 673.7 (FLAMITS — maximum sample temperature (°C))
  
  FLAMITS record 1515; Combustibility measurement; plant part branches; fuel all; predrying yes; device grill; site Cui2020a-1; sampling ND. Primary study Cui2020a: Cui, X., Paterson, A. M., Wyse, S. V., Alam, M. A., Maurin, K. J. L., Pieper, R., ... Curran, T. J. (2020a). Shoot flammability of vascular plants is phylogenetically conserved and related to habitat fire-proneness and growth form. Nature Plants, 6, 355-359.
- “burning duration (s): 41.7” · score 41.7 (FLAMITS — burning duration (s))
  
  FLAMITS record 1709; Sustainability measurement; plant part branches; fuel all; predrying yes; device grill; site Cui2020a-1; sampling ND. Primary study Cui2020a: Cui, X., Paterson, A. M., Wyse, S. V., Alam, M. A., Maurin, K. J. L., Pieper, R., ... Curran, T. J. (2020a). Shoot flammability of vascular plants is phylogenetically conserved and related to habitat fire-proneness and growth form. Nature Plants, 6, 355-359.
- “estimated burnt biomass (%): 86.7” · score 86.7 (FLAMITS — estimated burnt biomass (%))
  
  FLAMITS record 1903; Consumability measurement; plant part branches; fuel all; predrying yes; device grill; site Cui2020a-1; sampling ND. Primary study Cui2020a: Cui, X., Paterson, A. M., Wyse, S. V., Alam, M. A., Maurin, K. J. L., Pieper, R., ... Curran, T. J. (2020a). Shoot flammability of vascular plants is phylogenetically conserved and related to habitat fire-proneness and growth form. Nature Plants, 6, 355-359.
- “calorific value (kcal/kg): 5248.32” · score 5248.32 (FLAMITS — calorific value (kcal/kg))
  
  FLAMITS record 2923; Combustibility measurement; plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying yes; device calorimeter; site Dickinson1985-1; sampling winter. Primary study Dickinson1985: Dickinson, K. J. M., & Kirkpatrick, J. B. (1985). The flammability and energy content of some important plant-species and fuel components in the forests of Southeastern Tasmania. Journal of Biogeography, 12, 121-134.
- “time to flaming (s): 9.42” · score 9.42 (FLAMITS — time to flaming (s))
  
  FLAMITS record 4618; Ignitability measurement; plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying no; device epiradiator; site Guerrero2021-1; sampling summer. Primary study Guerrero2021: Guerrero, F., Hernández, C., Toledo, M., Espinoza, L., Carrasco, Y., Arriagada, A., ... Carmona, C. (2021). Leaf thermal and chemical properties as natural drivers of plant flammability of native and exotic tree species of the valparaíso region, Chile. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18, 7191.
- “flaming duration (s): 18.08” · score 18.08 (FLAMITS — flaming duration (s))
  
  FLAMITS record 4623; Sustainability measurement; plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying no; device epiradiator; site Guerrero2021-1; sampling summer. Primary study Guerrero2021: Guerrero, F., Hernández, C., Toledo, M., Espinoza, L., Carrasco, Y., Arriagada, A., ... Carmona, C. (2021). Leaf thermal and chemical properties as natural drivers of plant flammability of native and exotic tree species of the valparaíso region, Chile. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18, 7191.
- “burning duration (s): 48.99” · score 48.99 (FLAMITS — burning duration (s))
  
  FLAMITS record 4628; Sustainability measurement; plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying no; device epiradiator; site Guerrero2021-1; sampling summer. Primary study Guerrero2021: Guerrero, F., Hernández, C., Toledo, M., Espinoza, L., Carrasco, Y., Arriagada, A., ... Carmona, C. (2021). Leaf thermal and chemical properties as natural drivers of plant flammability of native and exotic tree species of the valparaíso region, Chile. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18, 7191.
- “ignition frequency (%): 50” · score 50 (FLAMITS — ignition frequency (%))
  
  FLAMITS record 4633; Ignitability measurement; plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying no; device epiradiator; site Guerrero2021-1; sampling summer. Primary study Guerrero2021: Guerrero, F., Hernández, C., Toledo, M., Espinoza, L., Carrasco, Y., Arriagada, A., ... Carmona, C. (2021). Leaf thermal and chemical properties as natural drivers of plant flammability of native and exotic tree species of the valparaíso region, Chile. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18, 7191.
- “flammability value: 5” · score 5 (FLAMITS — flammability value)
  
  FLAMITS record 4638; Ignitability measurement; plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying no; device epiradiator; site Guerrero2021-1; sampling summer. Primary study Guerrero2021: Guerrero, F., Hernández, C., Toledo, M., Espinoza, L., Carrasco, Y., Arriagada, A., ... Carmona, C. (2021). Leaf thermal and chemical properties as natural drivers of plant flammability of native and exotic tree species of the valparaíso region, Chile. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18, 7191.
- “calorific value (kcal/kg): 5197.28” · score 5197.28 (FLAMITS — calorific value (kcal/kg))
  
  FLAMITS record 4643; Combustibility measurement; plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying no; device epiradiator; site Guerrero2021-1; sampling summer. Primary study Guerrero2021: Guerrero, F., Hernández, C., Toledo, M., Espinoza, L., Carrasco, Y., Arriagada, A., ... Carmona, C. (2021). Leaf thermal and chemical properties as natural drivers of plant flammability of native and exotic tree species of the valparaíso region, Chile. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18, 7191.
- “flammability value: 3” · score 3 (FLAMITS — flammability value)
  
  FLAMITS record 13336; Ignitability measurement; plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying no; device epiradiator; site Valette1990-1; sampling june to september. Primary study Valette1990: Valette, J.-C. (1990). Flammabilities of Mediterranean forest species. Effects on the combustibility of the forest communities inflammabilités des espèces forestières méditerranéennes. Conséquences sur la combustibilité des formations forestières. Revue forestière française, 42, 76-92.
- “flammability value: 4” · score 4 (FLAMITS — flammability value)
  
  FLAMITS record 13337; Ignitability measurement; plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying no; device epiradiator; site Valette1990-1; sampling june to september. Primary study Valette1990: Valette, J.-C. (1990). Flammabilities of Mediterranean forest species. Effects on the combustibility of the forest communities inflammabilités des espèces forestières méditerranéennes. Conséquences sur la combustibilité des formations forestières. Revue forestière française, 42, 76-92.
- “rate of burning spread (cm/s): 1.386568627” · score 1.386568627 (FLAMITS — rate of burning spread (cm/s))
  
  FLAMITS record 16612; Sustainability measurement; plant part stems; fuel live; predrying no; device burning bench; site Rossa2016-1; sampling march and june 2014. Primary study Rossa2016: Rossa, C. G., Veloso, R., & Fernandes, P. M. (2016). A laboratory-based quantification of the effect of live fuel moisture content on fire spread rate. International Journal of Wildland Fire, 25, 569-573.
- “flame height (cm): 122.3529412” · score 122.3529412 (FLAMITS — flame height (cm))
  
  FLAMITS record 16613; Combustibility measurement; plant part stems; fuel live; predrying no; device burning bench; site Rossa2016-1; sampling march and june 2015. Primary study Rossa2016: Rossa, C. G., Veloso, R., & Fernandes, P. M. (2016). A laboratory-based quantification of the effect of live fuel moisture content on fire spread rate. International Journal of Wildland Fire, 25, 569-573.

Fire-resistant trees instead

Quaking aspen
Populus tremuloides

American sweetgum
Liquidambar styraciflua

Lombardy poplar
Populus nigra 'Italica'

Boxelder
Acer negundo

Thornless honeylocust
Gleditsia triacanthos

Oregon white oak
Quercus garryana

Fire-resistant trees listed above

Last verified 2026-08-23. JSON (CC BY 4.0)

Profiles: USDA PLANTS · GBIF · iNaturalist · Wikidata · ITIS

Acacia dealbata (Silver Wattle). FireApproved. https://fireapproved.com/plants/acacia-dealbata/. Last verified 2026-08-23.