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| Category: Shrub |
| Family: Mimosaceae (~Fabales) |
| Origin: Australia (Australasia) |
| Evergreen: Yes |
| Flower Color: Yellow |
| Bloomtime: Winter/Spring |
| Height: 6-8 feet |
| Width: 4-6 feet |
| Exposure: Sun or Shade |
| Summer Dry: Yes |
| Deer Tolerant: Yes |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 20-25° F |
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Acacia aphylla (Live Wire) - A very interesting and attractive upright spiny leafless shrub that grow 6 to 9 feet tall with intricately branching smooth blue-green rounded stems that are sharp tipped but soft enough to not be 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 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 actually consider this plant to be a succulent although it really is a woody shrub. If it gets out of bounds, prune it hard after flowering and allow to regenerate within a few months. Acacia aphylla has a very restricted natural range in open forests on hillsides amongst granite outcrops with two populations in the Darling Range east of Perth in Western Australia. It was listed as vulnerable then became protected under the Endangered species Protection Act 1992. The name for the genus comes either from the Greek word "akazo" meaning "to sharpen" or from the Egyptian word "akakia", a name given to the Egyptian Thorn, Acacia arabica. The specific epithet is from the Greek words 'a' meaning "without" and 'phyllos' meaning leaves in reference to the absence of leaves (phyllodes). The most common of the common names for this plant is Leafless Rock Wattle and it is also called Twisted Desert Wattle, but when we saw the common name Live Wire, we decided this was such a great name that this is how we list this plant. Our thanks go out to Jo O'Connell at Australian Native Plant Nursery, who first introduced us to this species, and to Gerhard Bock who gave us seed from the plant growing in his Davis, California garden that he got from Troy McGregor at Waltzing Matilda Nursery.
Information displayed on this page about Acacia aphylla is based on the research conducted about it in our library and from reliable online resources. We also note those observations we have made of this plant as it grows in the nursery's garden and in other gardens, as well how crops have performed in our nursery field. We will incorporate comments we receive from others, and welcome to hear from anyone who may have additional information, particularly if they share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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