Sweet Acacia

Sweet acacia (Vachellia farnesiana) features small yellow "puff" flowers. These blooms appear in clusters in late winter or early spring. It continues to bloom after each new flush of growth. In Florida's mild climate this means a long season of bright yellow flowers.

But even when it isn't flowering, sweet acacia makes an attractive landscape plant. Dozens of soft-green leaflets make up its feathery foliage. The zig-zag stems are olive green to gray and covered with sharp, light gray spines. These spines are about 1 inch long and appear at the base of the leaves.

And sweet acacia produces more than fragrance. This tree also serves as a nesting site for birds. The spines deter would-be predators and the birds enjoy its seeds. A Florida-Friendly plant, this multiple branched tree often attracts wildlife. Even white-tailed deer have been known to enjoy the pod-like fruits.
The view of sweet acacia branches and round puffball flowers as seen from under the canopy

This image provides a look into the irregular crown of this artistic tree. Photo: Dr. Sandra Wilson

As a small tree, sweet acacia reaches a maximum height and spread of 15-25 feet. It can also be maintained as a large shrub or even in a planter. Regardless of growth habit, the crown of this plant is rounded, irregular, and spreading.
The green pods have been decocted and used in the treatment of dysentery and inflammations of the skin and raucous membranes. An infusion of the pod has been used in the treatment of sore throats, diarrhoea, leucorrhoea, conjunctivitis, and uterorrhagia. The juice of the bark is used in Nepal to treat swellings.
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