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Acacia aphylla (Live Wire) - A very interesting and attractive upright spiny leafless shrub that can grow 6 to 9 feet tall but usually is seen around 4 to 6 feet tall. It has intricately branched smooth blue-green rounded stems that are sharp tipped but soft enough to not be terribly dangerous. In late winter to mid spring appear the individual bright yellow globular flower heads at stem branches with each cluster having 20 to 30 small petaless flowers.
Plant in full to part sun in a well-drained soil and irrigate infrequently to not at all once established. This is a drought tolerant plant in our mediterranean climate and is hardy down to at least to 18 to 20°F. The leafless stems have the chlorophyll that enables it to photosynthesize without leaves, much the way cacti and succulents do to conserve water, and some consider this plant to be a succulent although it really is a woody shrub. If it gets out of bounds or loses good color, prune it hard after flowering and allow to regenerate within a few months. Super tough and drought tolerant in the ground and an excellent and attractive container plant.
Acacia aphylla has a very restricted natural range in open forests on hillsides
The information about Acacia aphylla displayed on this web page is based on our research conducted in the nursery's horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also include observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share cultural information that would aid others in growing this plant. |
