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Sweet acacia
Location
Butterfly Garden
Sweet acacia
- Common Name: Sweet acacia
- Scientific Name: Acacia farnesiana
- Family Name: Fabaceae
- Origin: Tropical America
- Height: 8 to 20 ft
- Width: 6 to 10 ft
- Growth: Slow
- Zone: USDA Zones 9 through 11
- Light needs: Full sun
- Salt tolerance: Moderate
- Soil/pH/Texture: Grows in acidic or alkaline soil of any texture as long as the soil is well-drained.
- Moisture: Water regularly until established. Once established, it will not need regular watering.
- Drought tolerance: High
- Pests/Diseases: No pests or diseases are of particular concern.
- Growing conditions: This plant should be grown in a warm, sunny area. It is very drought tolerant, dropping its leaves in dry conditions so it can continue to grow. Therefore, it is suitable for dry climates. It has a wide and spreading crown which may require pruning.
- Characteristics: This plant grows to form a large shrub or small tree with a wide, spreading crown. The trunk is grayish brown with several pairs of sharp thorns. Leaves grow alternately and are compound, made up of 2 to 6 leaflets which themselves are made of around 20 secondary leaflets. Flowers emerge in small groups and are yellow, fuzzy, spherical, and fragrant. The fruits are small green pods.
- Propagation: By seeds or cuttings.
- Wildlife: Several animals eat the fruits, and the flowers are attractive to pollinator insects.
- Facts: The flowers are used to produce perfume. Different parts of the plants are used to produce gum, tanning leather, and ink.
- Designer considerations: It is commonly used as a specimen planting. The wide canopy makes it a good shading plant for walkways and benches, but its slow growth rate means it will take a while to get to this height.