Acacia melanoxylon (black acacia, blackwood acacia)

Acacia melanoxylon

Photo courtesy Joseph DiTomaso

Acacia melanoxylon (black acacia) is a tree (family Fabaceae) found along the coast of California, in the North and South Coast Ranges, and the San Francisco Bay region. It favors disturbed areas, and is often found near buildings and agricultural sites. Black acacia, which has spherical cream-colored flowers, was introduced as a landscape ornamental and has escaped cultivation in some areas. Black acacia trees can develop root suckers that grow to become large clonal populations. The trees also reproduce using seeds that are dispersed by water movement and human activities. To control mature trees, most root fragments must be removed to prevent resprouting.

Cal-IPC Inventory rating: Limited

Cal-IPC Resources on Acacia melanoxylon

• California Invasive Plant Inventory Assessment Form (pdf) - Information gathered by Cal-IPC on the impacts, rate of spread, and distribution of invasive plants in California. Does not include management information.
• Cal-IPC News - Articles from our quarterly newsletter. Each issue is available as a pdf. List of articles on Acacia melanoxylon.
• Cal-IPC Symposium Proceedings - Presentations and papers from our annual Symposium. List of articles on Acacia melanoxylon.
• Don't Plant a Pest! - Select your region to find non-invasive alternatives to ornamental species. Also see our statewide brochure on trees.

Cal-IPC News Articles

• DiTomaso, J. (1998). Results of the CalEPPC questionnaire at Symposium '98 in Ontario.
• (1993). California Exotic Pest Plant Council draft list exotic plants of greatest concern October 1993.

Cal-IPC Symposium Proceedings

• Heath, M., K. Moore, et al. (2005). Trees and shrubs discussion group. California Invasive Plant Council Symposium 2005. Chico, CA.

Other Resources on Acacia melanoxylon

• USDA PLANTS database - Federal database with information on identification and distribution, and links to websites in individual states.
• Jepson Online Interchange for California Flora - Information on taxonomy, biology, and distribution from the UC Berkeley Jepson Herbarium.
• CalFlora - Distribution information by county based on submitted observations and herbarium specimens.
• The Nature Conservancy Element Stewardship Abstracts - Information compiled by TNC land managers. Photos included for some species.
• CalPhotos - Images of plants taken mostly in California.
• Natural Resource Projects Inventory - State database with information on resource management projects throughout California. Query by the species of interest.

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