Native to Australia, the 20-50 ft willow acacia tree is common in landscaping throughout Tucson. Favored for its weeping aesthetic, it is also drought tolerant and can thrive in the heat. It can, however be damaged by hard frosts. Americans call “acacias” what Australians call “wattles,” so in its native range, this tree is called a “willow wattle.” Its flowers appear as small white puffs and the resulting pods are edible and sometimes used as animal feed. The leaves were smoked by indigenous people for their “psychoactive” properties, and the bark was used as a fish poison since it naturally has large amounts of tannins. This is a tree you will find scattered around Tucson. It can make a pleasant, calming addition to the right landscape.