About Paraserianthes lophantha (Willd.) I.C.Nielsen
Paraserianthes lophantha (synonym: Albizia lophantha) has multiple common names: Cape Leeuwin wattle, Bicol wattle, Cape wattle, Crested wattle, Brush wattle, and plume albizia. This species is a fast-growing small tree, reaching a maximum height of around 5 metres (16 feet). It bears creamy-yellow, bottlebrush-like flowers. It is the only species classified in the genus Paraserianthes. Its natural native range includes the southwest coast of Western Australia, extending from Fremantle to King George Sound, as well as Sumatra, Java, and the Lesser Sunda Islands. Baron Ferdinand von Mueller was the first person to spread this species beyond its native range in southwest Australia. He gave packets of P. lophantha seeds to early explorers, under the belief that planting the seeds at campsites would create visible markers for the routes the explorers took. It is classified as a weed in non-indigenous parts of Australia, and also in New Zealand, South Africa, the Canary Islands, the Philippines, and Chile.
