Other Names:  syn. Vachellia farnesiana, Huisache, Mealy Wattle

Description:

A large, graceful shrub or small tree with a wide spreading canopy; feathery, soft green foliage is delicate and almost fern like; fragrant pea-like golden-yellow flowers appear in late winter to spring; drought tolerant once established

Ornamental Features

Sweet Acacia features showy racemes of fragrant yellow ball-shaped flowers along the branches from late winter to early spring. It has attractive light green foliage with hints of silver. The tiny narrow bipinnately compound leaves are highly ornamental and remain light green throughout the winter. The fruits are showy brown pods displayed from mid summer to mid fall. The fruit can be messy if allowed to drop on the lawn or walkways, and may require occasional clean-up. The furrowed dark gray bark adds an interesting dimension to the landscape.

Landscape Attributes

Sweet Acacia is a multi-stemmed evergreen tree with a shapely form and gracefully arching branches. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.

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, bees and butterflies to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Spiny
• Self-Seeding

Sweet Acacia is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Mass Planting
• Hedges/Screening
• General Garden Use

Planting & Growing

Sweet Acacia will grow to be about 25 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 25 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 2 feet from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 30 years.

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. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is not originally from North America..