Acacia decurrens
Green wattle, Green Wattle
(c) Jose Castro, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Tree · Not Native
Acacia decurrens (Green wattle) is a non-native California tree in the Fabaceae family, recognized by distinctive olive-green foliage and winged twigs.
Green wattle is a naturalized tree found in southern California coastal areas and the Peninsular Ranges in disturbed areas and floodplains at elevations below 300 meters. Flowering from February to April, this tree produces bright yellow flowers in racemes occasionally forming panicles of 10 to 30 heads. Growing to heights less than 15 meters with unarmed branches, it features distinctive 2-pinnate olive-green leaves with winged twigs. Its leaves have complex structures with main axes featuring raised glands between leaflet pairs, with primary leaflets arranged in 3 to 13 pairs and secondary leaflets numbering 15 to 45 pairs. The fruit develops as a dark brown, nearly straight pod 2 to 11 centimeters long and 4 to 8 millimeters wide, with light yellow, club-shaped arils forming a distinctive cap.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 13 sympatric species; distinctive olive-green foliage and winged twigs
Habitat and range
Habitat: Uncommon. Disturbed areas, floodplains
Elevation: < 300 m
Outside California: native to southeastern Australia
Bloom period
Acacia decurrens blooms Feb-Apr.
How to tell it apart
vs Salix: Acacia has yellow ball-shaped flowers; Salix has catkins with small individual flowers and visible scales.; vs Paraserianthes: Acacia has simple blade-like leaves; Paraserianthes has twice-compound feathery leaves.; vs Eucalyptus: Acacia has yellow ball flowers; Eucalyptus has white to cream flowers with prominent stamens from a cap.; vs Vachellia: Acacia has simple blade-like leaves and no spines; Vachellia has feathery leaves and paired spines.; vs Quercus: Acacia has yellow fuzzy ball flowers; Quercus has separate male catkins and tiny female flowers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Acacia decurrens native to California?
No. Acacia decurrens is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Acacia decurrens bloom?
Acacia decurrens blooms Feb-Apr.
What plant family does Acacia decurrens belong to?
Acacia decurrens is in the Fabaceae family, genus Acacia.
What habitat does Acacia decurrens grow in?
Acacia decurrens grows in Uncommon. Disturbed areas, floodplains.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.