A tough, thornless Australian acacia with round, leathery, gray-green leaves and small yellow flowers in spring. It grows as a dense large shrub or can be trained into a small tree, and it handles Phoenix heat on very little water.
Living with it in the Phoenix Valley
Watering
Follow the tree schedule in our Landscape Care guide while it establishes. Once mature it gets by on very little. Lean watering keeps it compact; a little more gives fuller growth and heavier bloom. Well-drained soil suits it best.
Pruning
Left alone, it forms a dense, rounded shrub. To make a small tree, lift the lower branches gradually over a few seasons, which also reveals its branching pattern.
Pests
Disease resistant and generally trouble-free.
How our designers use it
Screens and hedges
Its dense, evergreen growth makes an informal screen or windbreak, and a lower-water alternative to oleander.
Foliage contrast
The silvery, rounded leaves stand out against darker greens and set off red- and orange-flowering accents.
A small-space tree
Trained to a single or multi-trunk form, it gives a modest yard a tree without overwhelming it.
Good to know
Around the pool
No thorns and minimal litter, though it drops small, flat seed pods after bloom. It is one of the easier acacias to place near a patio or pool.
