Other Names:  Australian Willow, Broughton Willow, Willow Wattle

Description:

This graceful, weeping evergreen shrub or small tree adds an air of elegance to the garden landscape with its cascading silvery blue-green foliage; prefers fertile, well drained, sandy soils and full sun; very drought tolerant

Ornamental Features

Willow Acacia has attractive bluish-green foliage with hints of silver on a tree with a weeping habit of growth. The narrow leaves are highly ornamental and remain bluish-green throughout the winter. It features subtle clusters of buttery yellow ball-shaped flowers along the branches from mid fall to early winter. The fruits are showy brown pods displayed from late winter to mid spring. The fruit can be messy if allowed to drop on the lawn or walkways, and may require occasional clean-up.

Landscape Attributes

Willow Acacia is a multi-stemmed evergreen tree with a rounded form and gracefully weeping branches. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance tree, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. It is a good choice for attracting birds to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Willow Acacia is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Shade
• Vertical Accent
• Hedges/Screening
• Windbreaks and Shelterbelts

Planting & Growing

Willow Acacia will grow to be about 30 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 15 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 2 feet from the ground, and should not be planted underneath power lines. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 40 years or more.

This tree does best in full sun to partial shade. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist growing conditions, but will not tolerate any standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for xeriscaping or the moisture-conserving landscape. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in sandy soils, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is not originally from North America.