Acacia retinodes

The Acacia retinodes, commonly known as the Four-Seasons Mimosa, should not be confused with the tree we call acacia, which is part of the Robinia botany genus. It is a large evergreen bush that flowers several times in the year, with a predominance from May to November. It produces numerous clusters bearing small characteristic flowers, evoking tiny yellow pom-poms, with a unique fragrance, highly prized in floral art. Its light foliage consists of bright green flattened, very thin and elongated petioles. This mimosa is not very hardy, but it tolerates poor and calcareous soils well, drought, and does not produce suckers. It will form a magnificent specimen in a large pot, to be stored in the winter in cold regionsor in the open ground in mild climates.

The Acacia retinodes is a bush native to Australia, belonging to the fabaceae family, just like alfalfa and lupins. This small tree or large bush has a rounded and compact habit, reaching 4 m (13 ft 1 in) in all directions at adult age. Its growth is quite fast. The bark, of a reddish brown, cracks as it ages. Its flowering is irregular from January to December, but particularly abundant from May to November. Its small round flowers are bright yellow stamen glomerules and are gathered on axillary racemes. Their scent is recognisable among all: an initial very fresh herb fragrance gives way to a divine honey scent, a powdery fragrance. Its foliage consists of flattened petioles, which we call phyllodia, resembling long and lanceolate green leaves. The plant easily self-sows in acidic soil and often serves as a graft for other species and varieties thanks to its good tolerance of calcareous soil. Its hardiness does not exceed -6°C (21.2 °F), but its resistance to summer drought is excellent.

When planted in open ground in mild climates, the Four-Seasons Mimosa can be placed as a stand-alone, in a hedge or row, or as a plant screen because of its capacity to conceal. It can be combined with other exotic-looking frost-sensitive bushes such as the Caesalpinia gilliesii, the Jacaranda mimosifolia (Blue Flamboyant), the Sesbania punicea, the escallonias, or the Coleonema album. It can be grown in a pot provided that it is protected from winter frosts in a greenhouse or a very slightly heated veranda.