Acacia dealbata

Acacia dealbata, commonly known as Winter Mimosa or Florists' Mimosa, should not be confused with the tree we call acacia. It is a tall evergreen bush, vigorous but frost-sensitive, which blooms early in late winter in mild climates. It produces numerous clusters of small characteristic flowers, resembling tiny yellow pompoms, with a unique fragrance. The flowers are highly prized in floral art. Its finely cut fern-like foliage, with a beautiful silvery blue-green colour, provides perfect shade. This mimosa is a fantastic hedge bush or a very beautiful specimen to be planted in isolation in favourable climates. It will also make a superb specimen, planted in a large pot, to be stored in winter in cold regions.

Acacia dealbata is a sucker-producing small tree, native to Australia. It is fast-growing but with a short lifespan. It was imported to Europe as early as 1771. This plant belongs to the Fabaceae family. It likes mild, hot, dry climates in summer, and slightly acidic soil. 

It is commercially available in the form of a plant usually grafted onto Acacia retinodes, which is less hardy but non-suckering and much more tolerant of limestone soils. This small single-trunk tree has a rounded and dense habit, reaching 5m (16ft) in height and 4.5m (15ft) in spread at maturity in favourable conditions. Its dimensions can easily be controlled by post-flowering pruning or cultivation in pots. The bark is smooth and greyish. Its flowering is abundant from January to March, depending on climatic conditions, but nevertheless less spectacular than that of horticultural varieties. Its small round flowers are clusters of bright yellow stamens and are gathered in axillary racemes. Their fragrance is recognisable among all: a fresh herbaceous start gives way to a divine honey smell. Its downy branches bear strongly cut leaves, with greenish-blue and silvery reflections. Each leaf is divided into leaflets, which are themselves divided into tiny leaflets. Its hardiness does not exceed -6°C (21.2°F), but its resistance to summer drought is excellent.

When planted in the ground in mild climates, it can be placed as a standalone specimen, in a hedge, or in a row. It works well as a vegetal privacy screen, due to its shading ability. It can be planted with other frost-sensitive shrubs with exotic appearance, such as Abutilon x suntense, Caesalpinia gilliesii, Jacaranda mimosifolia (Blue Flamboyant), Sesbania punicea, escallonias, callistemons, Garrya elliptica, or Coleonema album. It can be grown in pots, protecting it from winter frosts in a minimally heated greenhouse or conservatory.