Acacia redolens prostrate acacia, bank catclaw

Acacia redolens in Lathrop Park, opposite 820 Lathrop Drive. Sairus Patel, 21 Feb 2018

This decorative blue-leaved acacia with puffy yellow flowers in spring spreads as a dense ground cover, reaching up to three or so feet in height. Because it hardly requires water, it is well suited to the steep embankment on the uphill section of Mayfield Avenue (the dry, steep dividing strip from 749 to 773) and on the banks of Lathrop park, for example opposite 822 Lathrop Drive. See it also on Campus Drive West, just north of Santa Teresa Street. If plants continue to do well, more may be expected in the future.

Name derivation: Acacia – Greek akis, a sharp point; redolens – exuding fragrance, scented, aromatic.

Related material: Stanford Grounds Plant Information Sheet, List 15, Page 9.