Wednesday's Wildflower: Sweet Acacia
Vachellia farnesiana , formerly Acacia farnesiana Submitted by John Holyland, Mangrove Chapter Photo by John Holyland, Lemon Bay County Park, Englewood, Florida Sweet Acacia, (Pronunciation: uh-KAY-shuh far-nee-zee-AY-nuh), is a large shrub or small tree in the legume family. It is native to the Americas, including the Southern United States, Mexico, and the tropics. Sweet Acacia is fast growing and drought tolerant, making it good for landscapes, but it can suffer from root rot if too wet. As it is very thorny, with thorns on its trunks and branches, it should be placed away from walkways. The oval yellow flowers, about 1-2 cm. in diameter, bloom in the winter. They are very fragrant and have a long history of being using to make perfume and scented ointments. The fruits are cylindrical green pods that will will turn purple as they age. The thorny branches make good cover for birds and other wildlife, and bees love to forage in flowers. ...