This is a fast growing, evergreen tree to 30M, that grows readily from seed – often called by its English name Mimosa. Racemes of yellow balls of stamens over blue-green leaves with silvered underside in early spring.
It is that time of year again. This is one of those wonderful plants that produce a wonderful display for no effort on our part. It does have an Award of Garden Merit from the RHS in the UK, but I suspect it is seldom planted here. Most likely the display we see every spring, on river banks and road-sides, results from the plant self-seeding.
Systematic botanist have recently separated the Australia / Pacific Acacias from the African Acacias, now in the genera Vachellia and Senegalia. This still leaves us with several hundred Acacia species and we see several around Motueka. Apparently Giraffes on the planes of Africa no longer browse on Acacia trees!
Click here to view the Acacia dealbata page in Karin’s Garden.