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| Category: Shrub |
| Family: Mimosaceae (~Fabales) |
| Origin: North America |
| Evergreen: Yes |
| Flower Color: Yellow |
| Bloomtime: Spring/Summer |
| Fragrant Flowers: Yes |
| Synonyms: [Acacia sabeana] |
| Height: 15-25 feet |
| Width: 10-15 feet |
| Exposure: Full Sun |
| Summer Dry: Yes |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 0-10° F |
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Leucaena retusa (Goldenball Leadtree) - A semi-evergreen (in coastal California) to winter deciduous and thornless open large shrub or small tree that typically grows 12 to 15 feet tall, but can get to up to 25 feet. It has cinnamon colored bark and airly light green to blue-green bipinate leaves. From spring through summer appear in abundance the showy 1 1/2 inch wide rounded clusters of sweet smelling golden-yellow flowers at the branch tips. Plant in full sun in a well-drained soil and water only occasionally - this is a drought, heat and cold tolerant plant but it flowers well after monsoonal rains, so occasional summer irrigation might prolong the bloom in summer months. Hardy to around 5°F and useful in USDA Zones 7 and above. Prune to shape when young. An interesting clean tree with open lacy feel and attractive fragrant flowers that are sometimes described as "fuzzy balls". This plant is native to rocky well drained sandy and limestone soils in dry canyons from the western portions of the Edwards Plateau and the Trans-Pecos area in Texas, west to New Mexico and south in Chihuahua and Coahuila in Mexico from 1500 to 5500 feet. The name of the genus comes from the Greek 'leukos' meaning "white" in reference to the color of the flowers of some species. The specific epithet is from the Latin word 'retusus' meaning "a blunt" or "notched tip" in reference tips of the leaflets. Other common names for this plant include Littleleaf Leadtree, Little Leucaena, Lemonball and Wahoo Tree.
The information displayed on this page about Leucaena retusa is based on the research we have conducted about it in our nursery library as well as from information provided by reliable online resources. We also include our own observations made about this plant as it grows in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant have performed in the containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we have received from others and welcome hearing from anyone with information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information that will aid others to better grow it.
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