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A friend from Australia says I would love to smell the wattle that grows in their spring, and descriptions of it seem so similar to mimosa that I'm confused if they're the same plant with the same smell.
I'd never heard of wattle before, but had heard of mimosa. Are there are recognizable differences?
Thanks.
Wikipedia:
"Wattle, a common name for trees and shrubs in the genus Acacia, especially in Australia and South Africa"
Looking at Google images for "wattle", I only see the yellow kind of mimosa flowers, that look like little yellow puffy balls.
Google images for "mimosa" brings up not only the yellow flowers but also the pink, fanlike mimosa flowers that I see on trees in our neighborhood (very fragrant)
So I gather that mimosa is a broader term, and wattle is a specific kind of mimosa.
In Australia, the indigenous yellow-flowering acacia became locally known as wattle because the British colonists used the wood in the construction of wattle and daub buildings. Mimosa is the European name for acacia - I don't think it's found in the British isles so the early colonists may not have been familiar with the plant before encountering it here.
The many varieties of wattle flower from late winter into spring and the blooms have a heady, honey-laden scent. One of the most common garden trees is the glorious Cootumundra wattle shown here
Last edited by seatonica (2012-05-18 03:31:20)
Australian wattle smells like honey nectar!
I think the British called it mimosa as it resembles the plant mimosa. But they are totally different plants.
According to this short article
http://scienceray.com/biology/mimosa-th … of-winter/
what the Europeans are calling 'mimosa' are in fact naturalised (introduced) plants which have their origin in Australia.
In other words, the yellow-flowered 'mimosa' grown in France and used in perfume = what Australians call wattle. They are the same plants.
As rosecat points out the pink mimosa is something else again.
Last edited by seatonica (2012-05-18 03:50:34)
They are both members of the family Mimosoideae.
Acacia farnensia is used in the perfume industry due to its strong fragrance. It has feathery leaves. It is the one I call mimosa.
This is what Australian friends inform me is wattle. It has long, thin leaves.
The flowers look the same to me. There are fragrant mimosa trees along the road near my place. They are a delight. I have grown wattle but don't remember it being scented.
As far as I can tell (and it is confusing) the perfume industry in France uses both Acacia farnesiana (needle bush or mimosa originating in the Americas) and acacias (wattles) introduced from Australia (e.g Acacia dealbata), applying the name mimosa interchangably to both.
Acacia farnesiana is also found nauralised in parts of Australlia and is thought to have been introduced prior to the 16th century perhaps via the Phillipines. It's sometimes called mimosa wattle. In terms of acacias indigenous to Australia, some have long thin leaves, some feathery, some round. What they all have in common - and what makes them distinctive - is the globular, golden, honey-rich, highly-scented flowers. It is these that make them a perfumer's delight.
Last edited by seatonica (2012-05-18 16:47:39)
lol
The more I look into it, the answer to the question are 'mimosa' and 'wattle' one in the same seems to be yes and no ...
All I can say is that Australians don't call wattle 'mimosa' but the French do. Australians call the mimosa originating in the Americas mimosa, just like everyone else.
OK samberg, I'm done now 
PerfumesHere they are called Mesquite . I always thought Mimosa was some sort of drink.
PerfumesI love the smell of wattle blooms but many people have allergies/hayfever from wattle.
Wattle reminds me of my childhood, when I was six years old I won a painting competition and was crowned, Miss Wattle, lol.
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