Sweet acacia gets its name from the richly fragrant yellow flowers it produces each spring. Native to deserts of the Southwest, Mexico and Chile, this drought adapted plant can be grown as a large mounding shrub or medium size deciduous tree with a broad canopy. Old specimens can reach 20-25 ft. tall and as wide. Branches have numerous short spines and are covered with small bipinnately divided leaves that produce a soft and fine texture; it achieves intermediate shade value. Countless showy, round flowers occur in early to mid-spring and are bright yellow and sweetly fragrant.
Sweet acacia has great potential for Inland Empire gardens, particularly in southwestern style plantings. It prefers well-drained soils and is naturally suited to aridity, wind, full sun, high summer temperatures and winter cold to 18-20°F. It is adapted to periods of summer drought and will become drought-deciduous without summer moisture. It is suited as a patio specimen, in raised planters and as an entryway tree.
