Vachellia farnesiana var. farnesiana

Sweet acacia

Family: Fabaceae · Type: shrub · Not Native

Sweet acacia is a naturalized shrub found in southern California coastal areas and desert regions in disturbed areas, chaparral, dry scrub, and forest habitats at elevations below 300 meters. Flowering from November to April, this plant produces pale yellow to cream-colored flowers in small, round clusters. Growing up to 3 to 4 meters tall with multiple spreading branches, it forms a dense, somewhat thorny structure. Its leaves are compound with numerous small leaflets, typically more than 30 millimeters long, with slightly puberulent petioles and a delicate, feathery appearance. The shrub produces small, elongated seed pods characteristic of its acacia family lineage.

Habitat: Uncommon. Disturbed areas, chaparral, dry scrub, forest

Bloom period: Nov-Apr

Elevation: < 300 m

Bioregions: SCo, D

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.