The fast growing Acacia auriculiformis grows in poor soils and colonizes our reclaimed lands very easily. With its brittle branches, it is prone to snapping and is not a suitable tree for parks or streetscapes where safety is always a concern.Having said that, I appreciate the beautiful strings of yellow flowers and cultivars of them are bred to produce new plants that have more ornamental value.
The young seedling grows easily and practically anywhere, as shown here in the photos. The parallel-veined leaf-like structures are actually not the true leaves but are known as phyllodes or flattened leaf-stalks, which function much like leaves to photosynthesize. This reduction or absence of true leaves is an interesting morphological adaptation of the plant towards a harsh environment that is often hot and dry.
