About Acacia oxycedrus Sieber ex DC.
Scientific name: Acacia oxycedrus Sieber ex DC.
Description: This dense prickly shrub reaches 1–3 m (3 ft 3 in – 9 ft 10 in) in height and grows to around 2 m (6 ft 7 in) wide. Like most Acacia species, it has phyllodes rather than true leaves. The dark green, rigid, sharp-pointed phyllodes bear three or four prominent longitudinal veins. Bright yellow to pale yellow cylindrical flowerheads grow in groups of one to three in phyllode axils, appearing between July and October. After flowering, it produces straight or slightly curved seed pods that are 4 to 10 cm (1.6 to 3.9 in) long and 3 to 6 mm (0.12 to 0.24 in) wide.
Distribution: This species grows on sandy soil in dry sclerophyll forest or heath habitat in South Australia, Victoria, and New South Wales.
Cultivation: This shrub is available commercially. It can be propagated via seed scarification or by treatment with boiling water. It grows well in full open sun, in a well-drained position, and tolerates most soil types. It is frost hardy, and is useful for planting on road batters, or as a screen or hedge plant that forms an impenetrable barrier.
