Acacia melanoxylon
Blackwood acacia
(c) Leon Perrie, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Tree · Not Native
Conservation status: Cal-IPC Yes
Acacia melanoxylon (Blackwood acacia) is a non-native California tree in the Fabaceae family, recognized by unique leaf dimorphism and curved twisted pods are highly diagnostic.
Blackwood acacia is a naturalized tree found in coastal regions of California, including the North Coast, Central Coast, San Francisco Bay Area, Southern California, northern Channel Islands, and Peninsular Ranges at elevations below 200 meters in disturbed areas. Flowering from February to March, this tree produces pale yellow blossoms in small raceme clusters. Growing up to 30 meters tall with unarmed branches and common root suckers, it develops distinctively angled twigs. Its mature leaves are simple, lanceolate to oblanceolate, 4 to 14 centimeters long with 3 to 5 prominent longitudinal veins. The fruit is a dark brown, curved and twisted leathery pod 5 to 15 centimeters long, with seeds featuring a distinctive yellow to red aril encircling them.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 13 sympatric species; unique leaf dimorphism and curved twisted pods are highly diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Uncommon. Disturbed areas
Elevation: < 200 m
California counties: Santa Cruz, San Diego, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, Ventura, Marin, Mendocino, Humboldt, San Mateo, Solano
Outside California: native to southeastern and eastern Australia
Bloom period
Acacia melanoxylon blooms Feb-Mar.
Conservation status
Cal-IPC Yes
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 melanoxylon native to California?
No. Acacia melanoxylon is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Acacia melanoxylon bloom?
Acacia melanoxylon blooms Feb-Mar.
Where in California does Acacia melanoxylon grow?
Acacia melanoxylon occurs in Santa Cruz, San Diego, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, Alameda and other counties, at elevations of < 200 m.
What plant family does Acacia melanoxylon belong to?
Acacia melanoxylon is in the Fabaceae family, genus Acacia.
Is Acacia melanoxylon invasive in California?
Acacia melanoxylon is listed by Cal-IPC with an invasiveness rating of Yes.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · 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.