Acacia farnesiana Sweet acacia

A large dense shrub or small tree up to 20 ft. tall with straight white spines occurring in pairs. Evergreen in mild winters. Commonly found in arroyos, plains, and hill slopes between 2,500 and 5,000 ft. elevation in disjunct populations in southern California, Arizona, Texas, Florida, and Mexico. Named for its fragrant yellow ball-shaped flower, Sweet acacia blooms in the spring and occasionally in autumn.