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Acacias (Acacia)
Also known as : Thorntree
Acacias are very diverse, and many species have been useful to humans for thousands of years. These species have been used for tanning processes, construction, and furniture. The hardened sap (acacia gum) found in some species is used in watercolor painting, ceramic glazes, and fireworks. Both the Bible and ancient Egyptian proverbs mention the usefulness of acacias' wood.
Lifespan
Perennial
Plant Type
Tree
Key Facts About Acacias
Feedback
Attributes of Acacias
Plant Height
10 m
Spread
6 m
Leaf type
Evergreen
Ideal Temperature
20 - 38 ℃
Scientific Classification of Acacias
Distribution of Acacias
Feedback
Distribution Map of Acacias
Native
Cultivated
Invasive
Potentially invasive
Exotic
No species reported
How to Grow and Care for Acacias
Feedback
Acaciass, a diverse genus of shrubs and trees, require relatively simple care. They prefer full sunlight, well-draining soil, and moderate watering, adjusting to a variety of temperatures. Common challenges include pests like aphids and diseases such as root rot, which can be mitigated by providing optimal growth conditions. As seasonal plants, acaciass often display increased growth in spring and summer, with special care needed in harsh winters to protect from frost. Providing right conditions, most acaciass thrive with minimal intervention.
How to Water Acacias?
What Are the Sunlight Requirements for Acacias?
How to Propagate Acacias?
How to Plant Acacias?
Exploring the Acacias Plants
Feedback
8 most common species：
Cootamundra wattle
Cootamundra wattle (Acacia baileyana) is a large evergreen shrub or small tree that will grow from 6 to 9 m tall. It has a wide canopy and weeping branches. Its feathery foliage emerges in different shades of purple changing to bluish gray as they mature. Blooms in spring with fragrant golden-yellow flowers. Thrives in full sun with moist well-drained soil.
Sydney golden wattle
Sydney golden wattle (Acacia longifolia) is an evergreen tree that can grow to 9 m tall and form dense stands. It blooms profusely from winter to spring with yellow, tubular-shaped flowers. Attracts butterflies and bees. Thrives in full sun and tolerates a variety of conditions including coastal and windy areas. Makes an excellent windbreak.
Silver wattle
It is a fast-growing evergreen tree or shrub growing up to 15 m tall. The leaves are blue-green to silvery gray and thinly divided, which makes them attractive all year long. The flowers of the silver wattle are bright balls of color made up of yellow flowerheads of 13–42 individual flowers.
Blackwood
Blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon) is a deciduous tree that's also known as the "Black Wattle," "Lightwood," and "Tasmanian Blackwood." It's a member of the Legume family, which also includes peas and beans. Blackwood is a native of Australia. It's also found in a small part of the eastern coast of the United States.
Water wattle
Water wattle is an evergreen shrub that is native to southern Australia. It blooms intermittently throughout the year, producing clusters of small yellow flowers, making it a popular choice as an ornamental plant. It has received awards from the Royal Horticultural Society.
Cedar wattle
Cedar wattle (Acacia elata) is native to eastern Australia. The trees typically grow up to 18 m high, although some specimens grow to nearly 30 m. Cedar wattle is often cultivated in the timber industry because its sturdy, close-grained wood is good for carpentry and carving.
Golden wattle
Golden wattle (Acacia pycnantha) is a tree that is a part of the legume family; it is native to southeastern Australia and is the official floral emblem of the country. The bark of the tree is high in tannins and has been cultivated for this compound. The yellow flowers are cross-pollinated by some species of nectar-eating birds.
Pearl acacia
Acacia podalyriifolia, or pearl acacia, is a small evergreen tree or shrub from Australia that grows very quickly. Blooms profusely with fluffy yellow flowers and is sometimes grown ornamentally. Introduced into western North America in 1908. It can quickly form dense stands, crowding out native species.
All Species of Acacias
Cootamundra wattle
Cootamundra wattle
Cootamundra wattle (Acacia baileyana) is a large evergreen shrub or small tree that will grow from 6 to 9 m tall. It has a wide canopy and weeping branches. Its feathery foliage emerges in different shades of purple changing to bluish gray as they mature. Blooms in spring with fragrant golden-yellow flowers. Thrives in full sun with moist well-drained soil.
Sydney golden wattle
Sydney golden wattle
Sydney golden wattle (Acacia longifolia) is an evergreen tree that can grow to 9 m tall and form dense stands. It blooms profusely from winter to spring with yellow, tubular-shaped flowers. Attracts butterflies and bees. Thrives in full sun and tolerates a variety of conditions including coastal and windy areas. Makes an excellent windbreak.
Silver wattle
Silver wattle
It is a fast-growing evergreen tree or shrub growing up to 15 m tall. The leaves are blue-green to silvery gray and thinly divided, which makes them attractive all year long. The flowers of the silver wattle are bright balls of color made up of yellow flowerheads of 13–42 individual flowers.
Blackwood
Blackwood
Blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon) is a deciduous tree that's also known as the "Black Wattle," "Lightwood," and "Tasmanian Blackwood." It's a member of the Legume family, which also includes peas and beans. Blackwood is a native of Australia. It's also found in a small part of the eastern coast of the United States.
Water wattle
Water wattle
Water wattle is an evergreen shrub that is native to southern Australia. It blooms intermittently throughout the year, producing clusters of small yellow flowers, making it a popular choice as an ornamental plant. It has received awards from the Royal Horticultural Society.
Cedar wattle
Cedar wattle
Cedar wattle (Acacia elata) is native to eastern Australia. The trees typically grow up to 18 m high, although some specimens grow to nearly 30 m. Cedar wattle is often cultivated in the timber industry because its sturdy, close-grained wood is good for carpentry and carving.
Golden wattle
Golden wattle
Golden wattle (Acacia pycnantha) is a tree that is a part of the legume family; it is native to southeastern Australia and is the official floral emblem of the country. The bark of the tree is high in tannins and has been cultivated for this compound. The yellow flowers are cross-pollinated by some species of nectar-eating birds.
Pearl acacia
Pearl acacia
Acacia podalyriifolia, or pearl acacia, is a small evergreen tree or shrub from Australia that grows very quickly. Blooms profusely with fluffy yellow flowers and is sometimes grown ornamentally. Introduced into western North America in 1908. It can quickly form dense stands, crowding out native species.
Earleaf acacia
Earleaf acacia
Earleaf acacia (Acacia auriculiformis) is an evergreen tree that can grow from 20 to 27 m tall. It is a fast-growing tree with a gnarly trunk and is often multi-stemmed. It blooms in spring with yellowish-orange spiked clusters. Each tree produces about 47,000 seeds per year. It is becoming an invasive tree, displacing vegetation and native plants.
Black wattle
Black wattle
A member of the pea family, black wattle is a flowering tree. The timber of this tree is frequently used for furniture making, and the tree itself is often used for reforestation projects. This tree grows larger near the equator but will not get as large when it is cultivated further away from the equator.
Black wattle
Black wattle
Black wattle (Acacia mearnsii), indigenous in southeastern Australia, has been introduced to countries around the world for industrial purposes. The main products are tannin from its bark and woodchips for paper. Because of the high number of seeds it produces, and their longevity, it spreads very rapidly and is considered one of the most invasive plants in the world.
Wedge-leaf wattle
Wedge-leaf wattle
Wedge-leaf wattle (Acacia pravissima) is native to New South Wales, Australia, but has spread to neighboring states, where it threatens the local flora. Because of its interesting foliage and masses of yellow flowers, it is a popular ornamental. It does best when planted in moist soil in a sheltered spot.
Paradox acacia
Paradox acacia
The paradoxical nature of paradox acacia (Acacia paradoxa) is that its showy yellow flowers mask aggressively thorny branches. It is common throughout Australia and provides cover for small birds, nectar for moths and butterflies, and seeds for birds. The flowers are edible and are sometimes included in fritters. It is a useful shrub for hedges, screens, and erosion control.
Black wattle
Black wattle
Black wattle is a perennial tree native to warm regions in Australia. It has escaped cultivation in cooler regions where it's considered an invasive plant. It produces edible bright yellow flowers from summer to fall. The plant is commonly used for environmental management and wood and its active chemical compounds are used as a natural dye.
Highland tamarind
Highland tamarind
Acacia heterophylla occurs in humid tropical forests of Réunion island in the Indian Ocean. It's locally abundant and it's often used as wood, but its ornamental value is important as well. Various types of bees are attracted to the nectar of highland tamarind.
Orange wattle
Orange wattle
Orange wattle (Acacia saligna) is a small tree that is native to Australia and sometimes planted in semi-arid environments outside its native range as a windbreak and to combat soil erosion. Orange wattle produces yellow flowers in late winter and early spring. The seeds of the tree are distributed by ants that harvest them for food.
Star acacia
Star acacia
Star acacia (Acacia verticillata) makes an attractive ornamental shrub whose flowers are very popular with birds. Care should be taken since it is highly flammable, and it shouldn't be grown near the house. This shrub was useful to indigenous Australians who made fishing lines from its fibers. In 2016 this plant was featured on a new version of Australia's five-dollar note.
Small Philippine Acacia
Small Philippine Acacia
Small Philippine Acacia (Acacia confusa) is a perennial tree native to Southeast Asia that has proliferated in tropical places around the globe and caused problems as an invasive species. However, its wood has also been put to use, for example as support beams for underground mines in China.
Myrtle wattle
Myrtle wattle
Myrtle wattle (Acacia myrtifolia) is a striking shrub first described by the famous botanist Carl Ludwig von Willdenow in 1806. This plant produces pretty white flower tufts that reward cultivators with its ornamental value, especially in coastal gardens due to its salt tolerance. This acacia is a useful and attractive low-maintenance species for environments such as roadsides where its thick foliage provides an effective windbreak.
Cedar wattle
Cedar wattle
Cedar wattle (Acacia terminalis) brings sunshine to gardens when other flowers are hiding from the cold. Its pretty yellow flowers feature an unusually long flowering time through the colder months. Butterflies, seed-eating birds, bees, and other insects are attracted to this plant.
Graceful wattle
Graceful wattle
Graceful wattle (Acacia decora) is a hardy species and worthwhile addition to many gardens. It provides low-level cover for stock in windbreaks and it improves soil fertility by fixing nitrogen. The pretty yellow flowers are a good pollen source for birds and native insects.
Koa
Koa
Koa (Acacia koa) is a large flowering tree that is part of the legume family. It is endemic to Hawaii. The trunk of the tree has traditionally been used by indigenous peoples to build vessels similar to dugout canoes and surfboards. In the Hawaiian language, the word "koa" means "brave" or "bold."
Crowded-leaf wattle
Crowded-leaf wattle
The shrub or tree with a rounded habit that typically grows to a height of 4 m that has slender spreading branchlets with dense to sparse hairs. The ascending to erect and crowded phyllodes are on short stem-projections. The flat green phyllodes have a linear-oblanceolate to oblong-elliptic shape and a length of 5 to 12 mm and a width of 1 to 1.6 mm. The spherical flower-heads contain 20 to 25 bright yellow flowers.
Northern wattle
Northern wattle
Northern wattle is a tropical tree known for its robust, thickened bark that aids in wildfire resistance. Typically reaching heights of up to 30 meters, it boasts a dense, rounded canopy adorned with feathery green leaves. This hardy tree flourishes in open woodlands and produces showy yellow flower balls, pivotal for pollinator attraction and seed dispersal.
Koaoha
Koaoha
Acacia koaia is usually distinguished by growing as a short (rarely more than 5 m or 5 m), broad, gnarled tree; having the seeds longitudinally arranged in the pod; shorter, straighter phyllodes; and much denser wood. A population on the northern coast of Kauaʻi may be intermediate, but the relationships have not been worked out.
Western prickly moses
Western prickly moses
It has feathery, bipinnate leaves with leaflets up to 5 mm long. At the base of each leaf is one or two spines. The flower heads are bright yellow and spherical, with a diameter of up to 1 cm.
Fringed wattle
Fringed wattle
Fringed wattle is a resilient shrub or small tree, reaching up to 15 meters in height. Its feathery, fern-like foliage and distinctive, golden-yellow, bottle brush-like flower spikes are a striking feature in its native Australian bushland habitat. These blossoms are rich in nectar, attracting various pollinators. Its bark is typically rough and furrowed, providing an excellent microhabitat for local fauna.
Cooba
Cooba
Cooba is a fast-growing tree that can reach up to 9 m in height. It has slender, willow-like leaves and produces fragrant, pale yellow flowers in the spring. The tree is highly adaptable and is often used in landscaping for erosion control and as a windbreak. Additionally, its hard, durable wood is used for furniture, flooring, and decorative items.
Clay wattle
Clay wattle
Clay wattle, with its striking curved, blue-green leaf-like structures (phyllodes), adapted to survive in arid environments, this bushy shrub commands attention. Its vivid yellow flowers blossom in globular clusters, signaling the adaptability of clay wattle to thrive under harsh sunlight and poor soil conditions. These robust features contribute to its resilience and distinctive appearance.
Flinder's range wattle
Flinder's range wattle
Flinder's range wattle, with its slender, willow-like foliage and fluffy yellow flowers, thrives in dry climates. Its long leaves, sometimes up to 20 cm, and distinctive flowering spikes, radiate a sweet fragrance that attracts various pollinators. This hardy shrub adapts well to coastal environments, often becoming a vital windbreak and habitat for local wildlife.
Bailey's acacia 'Purpurea'
Bailey's acacia 'Purpurea'
Bailey's acacia 'Purpurea' is a stunning small evergreen tree that originated in Australia. The cultivar is distinct because of its feathery foliage that has an intense lavender-to-purple color upon emerging, and then turns to bluish-gray with age. Masses of yellow fragrant flowers appear in early winter and last through spring. Bailey's acacia 'Purpurea' has a natural umbrella shape and grows rapidly, reaching its full height of 6 to 9 m in only 3 years.
Knife acacia
Knife acacia
Knife acacia is named for its knife-like leaves, which are actually leaf stems. This Australian native is popular for this unusual foliage and bright yellow flowers. It has escaped cultivation to become naturalized on several continents. An attention-grabbing specimen shrub, it also works well as a screen and attracts birds to the garden.
More Popular Genus
Feedback
Dracaena
Dracaena are popular house plants that are easy to grow. They can tolerate low-light conditions and require little watering. Their leaves range from variegated to dark green. Their characteristic traits include woody stems that grow slowly but offer a striking appearance for small spaces such as apartments or offices.
Fig trees
Fig trees have been cultivated in many regions for their fruits, particularly the common fig, F. carica. Most of the species have edible fruits, although the common fig is the only one of commercial value. Fig trees are also important food sources for wildlife in the tropics, including monkeys, bats, and insects.
Brambles
Brambles are members of the rose family, and there are hundreds of different types to be found throughout the European countryside. They have been culturally significant for centuries; Christian folklore stories hold that when the devil was thrown from heaven, he landed on a bramble bush. Their vigorous growth habit can tangle into native plants and take over.
Maples
The popular tree family known as maples change the color of their leaves in the fall. Many cultural traditions encourage people to watch the colors change, such as momijigari in Japan. Maples popular options for bonsai art. Alternately, their sap is used to create maple syrup.
Prunus
Prunus is a genus of flowering fruit trees that includes almonds, cherries, plums, peaches, nectarines, and apricots. These are often known as "stone fruits" because their pits are large seeds or "stones." When prunus trees are damaged, they exhibit "gummosis," a condition in which the tree's gum (similar to sap) is secreted to the bark to help heal external wounds.
Nightshades
Nightshades is a large and diverse genus of plants, with more than 1500 different types worldwide. This genus incorporates both important staple food crops like tomato, potato, and eggplant, but also dangerous poisonous plants from the nightshade family. The name was coined by Pliny the Elder almost two thousand years ago.
Roses
Most species of roses are shrubs or climbing plants that have showy flowers and sharp thorns. They are commonly cultivated for cut flowers or as ornamental plants in gardens due to their attractive appearance, pleasant fragrance, and cultural significance in many countries. The rose hips (fruits) can also be used in jams and teas.
Oaks
Oaks are among the world's longest-lived trees, sometimes growing for over 1,000 years! The oldest known oak tree is in the southern United States and is over 1,500 years old. Oaks produce an exceedingly popular type of wood which is used to make different products, from furniture and flooring to wine barrels and even cosmetic creams.
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About
Key Facts
Distribution
How To Care
All Species
More Genus
Acacias
Acacia
Also known as: Thorntree
Acacias are very diverse, and many species have been useful to humans for thousands of years. These species have been used for tanning processes, construction, and furniture. The hardened sap (acacia gum) found in some species is used in watercolor painting, ceramic glazes, and fireworks. Both the Bible and ancient Egyptian proverbs mention the usefulness of acacias' wood.
Lifespan
Perennial
Plant Type
Tree
Key Facts About Acacias
Feedback
Attributes of Acacias
Plant Height
10 m
Spread
6 m
Leaf type
Evergreen
Ideal Temperature
20 - 38 ℃
Scientific Classification of Acacias
Distribution of Acacias
Feedback
Distribution Map of Acacias
Native
Cultivated
Invasive
Potentially invasive
Exotic
No species reported
How to Grow and Care for Acacias
Feedback
Acaciass, a diverse genus of shrubs and trees, require relatively simple care. They prefer full sunlight, well-draining soil, and moderate watering, adjusting to a variety of temperatures. Common challenges include pests like aphids and diseases such as root rot, which can be mitigated by providing optimal growth conditions. As seasonal plants, acaciass often display increased growth in spring and summer, with special care needed in harsh winters to protect from frost. Providing right conditions, most acaciass thrive with minimal intervention.
How to Water Acacias?
What Are the Sunlight Requirements for Acacias?
How to Propagate Acacias?
How to Plant Acacias?
Exploring the Acacias Plants
Feedback
8 most common species：
Cootamundra wattle
Cootamundra wattle (Acacia baileyana) is a large evergreen shrub or small tree that will grow from 6 to 9 m tall. It has a wide canopy and weeping branches. Its feathery foliage emerges in different shades of purple changing to bluish gray as they mature. Blooms in spring with fragrant golden-yellow flowers. Thrives in full sun with moist well-drained soil.
Sydney golden wattle
Sydney golden wattle (Acacia longifolia) is an evergreen tree that can grow to 9 m tall and form dense stands. It blooms profusely from winter to spring with yellow, tubular-shaped flowers. Attracts butterflies and bees. Thrives in full sun and tolerates a variety of conditions including coastal and windy areas. Makes an excellent windbreak.
Silver wattle
It is a fast-growing evergreen tree or shrub growing up to 15 m tall. The leaves are blue-green to silvery gray and thinly divided, which makes them attractive all year long. The flowers of the silver wattle are bright balls of color made up of yellow flowerheads of 13–42 individual flowers.
Blackwood
Blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon) is a deciduous tree that's also known as the "Black Wattle," "Lightwood," and "Tasmanian Blackwood." It's a member of the Legume family, which also includes peas and beans. Blackwood is a native of Australia. It's also found in a small part of the eastern coast of the United States.
Show More Species
All Species of Acacias
Cootamundra wattle
Sydney golden wattle
Silver wattle
Blackwood
Water wattle
Cedar wattle
Golden wattle
Pearl acacia
Earleaf acacia
Black wattle
Black wattle
Wedge-leaf wattle
Paradox acacia
Black wattle
Highland tamarind
Orange wattle
Star acacia
Small Philippine Acacia
Myrtle wattle
Cedar wattle
Graceful wattle
Koa
Crowded-leaf wattle
Northern wattle
Koaoha
Western prickly moses
Fringed wattle
Cooba
Clay wattle
Flinder's range wattle
Bailey's acacia 'Purpurea'
Knife acacia
More Popular Genus
Feedback
Dracaena
Dracaena are popular house plants that are easy to grow. They can tolerate low-light conditions and require little watering. Their leaves range from variegated to dark green. Their characteristic traits include woody stems that grow slowly but offer a striking appearance for small spaces such as apartments or offices.
Fig trees
Fig trees have been cultivated in many regions for their fruits, particularly the common fig, F. carica. Most of the species have edible fruits, although the common fig is the only one of commercial value. Fig trees are also important food sources for wildlife in the tropics, including monkeys, bats, and insects.
Brambles
Brambles are members of the rose family, and there are hundreds of different types to be found throughout the European countryside. They have been culturally significant for centuries; Christian folklore stories hold that when the devil was thrown from heaven, he landed on a bramble bush. Their vigorous growth habit can tangle into native plants and take over.
Maples
The popular tree family known as maples change the color of their leaves in the fall. Many cultural traditions encourage people to watch the colors change, such as momijigari in Japan. Maples popular options for bonsai art. Alternately, their sap is used to create maple syrup.
Prunus
Prunus is a genus of flowering fruit trees that includes almonds, cherries, plums, peaches, nectarines, and apricots. These are often known as "stone fruits" because their pits are large seeds or "stones." When prunus trees are damaged, they exhibit "gummosis," a condition in which the tree's gum (similar to sap) is secreted to the bark to help heal external wounds.
Nightshades
Nightshades is a large and diverse genus of plants, with more than 1500 different types worldwide. This genus incorporates both important staple food crops like tomato, potato, and eggplant, but also dangerous poisonous plants from the nightshade family. The name was coined by Pliny the Elder almost two thousand years ago.
Roses
Most species of roses are shrubs or climbing plants that have showy flowers and sharp thorns. They are commonly cultivated for cut flowers or as ornamental plants in gardens due to their attractive appearance, pleasant fragrance, and cultural significance in many countries. The rose hips (fruits) can also be used in jams and teas.
Oaks
Oaks are among the world's longest-lived trees, sometimes growing for over 1,000 years! The oldest known oak tree is in the southern United States and is over 1,500 years old. Oaks produce an exceedingly popular type of wood which is used to make different products, from furniture and flooring to wine barrels and even cosmetic creams.
Your Ultimate Guide to Plants
Identify grow and nurture the better way!
17,000 local species +400,000 global species studied
Nearly 5 years of research
80+ scholars in botany and gardening
Continue reading in our app - it's better
A database of 400000+ plants
unlimited guides at your fingertips...
unlimited guides at your fingertips...
