Other Names:  Shittah Tree, syn. Vachellia seyal

Description:

A small tree with a spreading, umbrella-shaped crown and interesting copper colored bark on spiny branches; feathery, fine textured foliage is dark green; globose yellow flowers appear in late winter to spring; drought tolerant once established

Ornamental Features

Red Acacia features showy racemes of fragrant yellow ball-shaped flowers at the ends of the branches from late winter to mid spring. It has attractive dark green evergreen foliage. The tiny glossy narrow bipinnately compound leaves are highly ornamental and remain dark green throughout the winter. The fruits are showy brown pods displayed from mid summer to mid fall. The smooth coppery-bronze bark is extremely showy and adds significant winter interest.

Landscape Attributes

Red Acacia is a multi-stemmed evergreen tree with an upright spreading habit of growth. 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

Red Acacia is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Hedges/Screening
• General Garden Use

Planting & Growing

Red Acacia will grow to be about 30 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 20 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 4 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 should only be grown in full sunlight. 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. This plant is capable of fixing its own nitrogen, which means that it is effectively self-fertilizing. As a result it should not require supplemental fertilizing, and if you do fertilize it, be sure to only use a low-nitrogen fertilizer to promote root growth. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in sandy soils, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This species is not originally from North America, and parts of it are known to be toxic to humans and animals, so care should be exercised in planting it around children and pets..