Acacia mearnsii
Black wattle
(c) Duarte Frade, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Shrub / Tree · Not Native
Acacia mearnsii (Black wattle) is a non-native California shrub / tree in the Fabaceae family, recognized by very high leaflet count and gum-exuding bark.
Black wattle is a naturalized tree found in southern California coastal areas in disturbed habitats at elevations below 500 meters. Flowering from February to March, this tree produces pale yellow to cream flowers in racemes occasionally forming panicles of 20 to 35 heads. Growing to less than 10 meters tall with an unarmed habit, it has twigs that are angled and short-hairy with bark that often exudes gum. Its two-pinnate leaves are olive-green, featuring 7 to 31 pairs of primary leaflets with raised glands between leaf pairs and 20 to 70 pairs of tiny linear secondary leaflets. The fruit is a dark brown, slightly leathery pod 3 to 14 centimeters long with a light yellow, club-shaped seed aril forming a cap.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 13 sympatric species; very high leaflet count and gum-exuding bark are diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Uncommon. Disturbed areas
Elevation: < 500 m
Outside California: Native to eastern Australia
Bloom period
Acacia mearnsii blooms Feb-Mar.
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 mearnsii native to California?
No. Acacia mearnsii is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Acacia mearnsii bloom?
Acacia mearnsii blooms Feb-Mar.
What plant family does Acacia mearnsii belong to?
Acacia mearnsii is in the Fabaceae family, genus Acacia.
What habitat does Acacia mearnsii grow in?
Acacia mearnsii grows in Uncommon. Disturbed areas.
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.