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Acacia stenophylla
Say “Acacia” to most people and they think of that
invasive, messy tree with the brilliant yellow flowers that
you see along the highway. Not all members of the genus
Acacia are so badly behaved. Contrary to popular belief,
the pollen granules are too large to cause allergies in most
people. (It’s the stealthy pines and junipers that make you
sneeze and wheeze!) Acacia stenophylla or Shoestring
Acacia is very tidy and easy to maintain. It is an excellent
tree for small yards, patios and pool areas as it produces
minimal leaf litter. The long, narrow leaves create an
elegant, airy screen and light shade year round. Unlike
many trees with a denser canopy, you can plant all sorts
of things under Acacia stenophylla. It tolerates a wide
variety of soils, including the alkaline clay and poor
drainage common to our area. It will thrive with or without
summer irrigation. Deer and insects don’t seem to bother
it much. You can plant it near the coast and in hot inland
areas. Our crop here at the nursery survived this unusually
cold winter with no damage. In late spring it produces a
few small creamy white powder-puff flowers. Acacia
stenophylla is not invasive in our climate. Growth rate is
fast to 20-30 high and 10-20 wide with a weeping,
columnar habit. The leaves are silvery-green and the bark
is a beautiful dark brown.
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