Acacia aneura
Mulga
Description
Mulga Acacia (Acacia aneura) is a small evergreen tree native to Australia. It is very drought-tolerant and is appropriate in almost all California-friendly gardens as it only grows up to 20' tall and 20' wide. The foliage is silver-green, making it an excellent specimen tree. As with most Acacias, it is fairly low maintenance, but it can be very messy when it flowers, so it is best to plant it in a location that can absorb the falling flowers. This tree requires very little supplemental water once it is established and usually stays small enough for a homeowner to prune. The tree should be thinned every 18-24 months to allow sunlight to enter the interior, and arching branches can be thinned out to reduce the weight that is causing them to weep. This tree should be planted at least three feet away from any hardscape areas and eight feet from structures such as houses and buildings. Shrubs and perennials should be planted about two feet away from this tree. It should be irrigated for about 45 minutes once a week when using most in-line drip irrigation systems.