Willow Acacia

Name: Willow Acacia
Brand: Outdoor Dream Builders

Acacia salicina

A narrow, upright tree with fragrant cream puffball flowers and graceful willow-like foliage, perfect for tight screening spaces.

Hardy to about 15-18°F in low and mid desert; frost-sensitive when young.

AMWUA Notes

Low water use; can be short-lived if overwatered or left unpruned.

Care Guide

💧Watering

Deep-soak weekly through the first year, then every 2-3 weeks in summer once established.

✂️Pruning

Prune young trees to a single strong leader and thin the canopy to reduce wind resistance in the brittle wood; work in late winter.

🌱Fertilizing

No fertilizer needed; a nitrogen-fixing legume.

🛡️Pests

Few pest problems.

☀️Seasonal Notes

Fragrant cream puffball flowers in spring; evergreen willow-like foliage with seasonal pod drop.

🪨Soil

Well-draining native or decomposed-granite soil; tolerates caliche, rocky ground, and alkaline pH 7.5–8.5

💧Drainage

Needs well-drained soil.

🌱Nutrient Needs

None — thrives in lean desert soil without fertilizer.

🌰Propagation

Grown from scarified seed; establishes quickly from nursery stock

📐Spacing

12–15 ft

🌳Roots & Placement

Deep roots are non-aggressive, but keep 10–12 ft from structures; brittle wood needs staking

•Narrow upright form (about 15 ft wide) is ideal for tight screening, side yards, and against blank walls.
•Weak-wooded and brittle; stake young trees and prune early for strong structure, keeping 10-12 ft from buildings.
•Plant in a row 12-15 ft apart for a fast, fragrant privacy screen.
•Full sun; sheds seed pods, so keep back from pool skimmers.