Vachellia farnesiana
Sweet acacia
(c) Todd Boland, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Todd Boland · licence
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Shrub / Tree · Not Native
Vachellia farnesiana (Sweet acacia) is a non-native California shrub / tree in the Fabaceae family, recognized by naturalized shrub with bright yellow flowers and distinctive white spines.
Sweet acacia is a naturalized shrub found in disturbed areas and urban landscapes, potentially introduced across multiple California regions at low elevations. Flowering from spring to summer, this plant produces bright yellow to dull orange flowers in small clustered heads that are sweetly fragrant. Growing as a multi-stemmed shrub or small tree up to 8 meters tall, it has distinctive white stipular spines ranging from 7 to 30 millimeters long. Its leaves are delicate and feathery, composed of 2 to 6 pairs of primary leaflets, each bearing 8 to 19 pairs of small oblong secondary leaflets. The fruit is a leathery, cylindrical pod 9 to 18 millimeters wide, containing seeds embedded in a sweet pulp.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated; naturalized shrub with bright yellow flowers and distinctive white spines
Habitat and range
California counties: San Diego, Riverside
How to tell it apart
vs Acacia: Vachellia has paired spines at leaf bases and feathery leaves; Acacia has no spines and simple blade-like leaves.; vs Neltuma: Vachellia has straight paired spines at leaf bases; Neltuma has scattered thorns on branches.; vs Parkinsonia: Vachellia has twice-compound leaves with normal-sized leaflets; Parkinsonia has flattened green stems with tiny leaflets.; vs Senegalia: Vachellia has straight paired spines at leaf bases; Senegalia has curved cat-claw prickles scattered on stems.; vs Jacaranda: Vachellia has paired spines and yellow ball flowers; Jacaranda is unarmed with blue-purple tubular flowers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Vachellia farnesiana native to California?
No. Vachellia farnesiana is not native to California (recorded as not native).
Where in California does Vachellia farnesiana grow?
Vachellia farnesiana occurs in San Diego, Riverside.
What plant family does Vachellia farnesiana belong to?
Vachellia farnesiana is in the Fabaceae family, genus Vachellia.
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.