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Information about Australia's flora - Wattles, genus Acacia
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Photo of Acacia farnesianaAcacia farnesiana

Mimosa Bush

Description: Straggly, many-branched shrub to 3 m high. Spiny stems with bipinnate leaves to 5 cm long. Golden ball-flowers are strongly perfumed.
Distribution: Tropics of the world.
Propagation: From scarified seed or boiling water treatment.
Cultivation: Believed to have been introduced to Australia before European settlement (usually regarded as the cut-off for native vs exotic), from Central America (where it is native) via the Philippines. Also found in subtropical and tropical America, Africa and Asia, often being naturalised. The species is widely grown in southern France for the perfume industry. Hardy in dry conditions.
Warning - this plant is fast becoming a major pest weed in the dryer parts of Australia .
Special horticultural attributes:
Note: While often found in cultivation, its further use is discouraged due to its weed potential.

© Text derived from the Acacia sections of the 4th edition of Australian Native Plants by John Wrigley and Murray Fagg, published in 1996 by Reed Books Pty Ltd