Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Shoestring Acacia
Shoestring Acacia is a tall, narrow Australian tree with long, drooping gray-green leaves that hang like shoestrings. It grows fast to about 20 to 40 feet tall but only 15 to 20 feet wide, so it fits narrow spaces and works as a tall screen. It stays evergreen, has no thorns and gives light, airy shade. It takes full sun and reflected heat on low water.
Best for: tall screens, narrow side yards and spaces near buildings, streets and sidewalks, hot spots with reflected heat, and light, airy shade.
It grows about 20 to 40 feet tall but only 15 to 20 feet wide, upright when young and spreading a little with age. That makes it a fit for narrow side yards and spots near buildings.
It grows fast and keeps its leaves all year, so it is used as a tall screening tree and in screen plantings along streets and sidewalks.
The gray-green leaves are long and narrow, up to 12 to 16 inches, and hang like shoestrings. They give light, airy shade. Cream puffball flowers open in the cool months.
It drops a good amount of leaf, flower and pod litter and can reseed where it gets water. Untrained trees form weak, narrow branch angles, so stake and prune it young.
- Screen row12-15 ft apart, center to center
- Looser group15-20 ft apart, center to center
For the first two weeks, water a new tree every 1 to 2 days in summer, or every 3 to 4 days in cooler months. Ease to about weekly in summer by the second month, and keep up deep, regular soaks for its first 3 years. Once rooted, soak it 2 to 3 feet deep at the canopy edge about every 2 to 3 weeks in summer and about once a month in winter.
Take off the nursery stake at planting, and stake only if the tree cannot stand on its own or sits in a windy spot. Use two stakes outside the root ball and soft, wide ties that let the trunk sway. Remove them after about a year. Tree acacias grow top-heavy, so many need stakes while young.
Stake and train it young. Untrained trees form weak, narrow branch angles that can split. Never take more than a quarter of the leaves in a year, and do not strip the inside branches bare. Finish any thinning before monsoon season starts in mid-June.
Too much water or soil that stays wet can rot the roots and turn the leaves yellow. Water deeply, then let the soil dry out before the next soak.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
How big does Shoestring Acacia get?
It grows about 20 to 40 feet tall and 15 to 20 feet wide, upright when young and spreading a little with age. That slim shape fits a narrow side yard.
How fast does Shoestring Acacia grow?
It grows fast and can give light shade in a yard quickly. Stake and train it while it is young so the fast growth stays strong.
Does it have thorns?
No, Shoestring Acacia is thornless, so it is safe to plant near walks and patios.
Is it evergreen?
Yes. It keeps its long, gray-green leaves all year.
How much water does it need?
It is a very low-water tree once rooted. Water deep and infrequently, and avoid overwatering. Soggy, poorly drained soil can cause root rot.
Is Shoestring Acacia messy?
It drops a fair amount of leaves, flower remnants and seed pods, and the pods look like strings of beads. Plan on some raking under it.
Does it reseed?
Yes, it can reseed where it gets water. Pull the seedlings while they are small.
Does it need staking and pruning?
Yes, when young. Stake it and prune it to a strong branch structure and a raised crown. Untrained trees form weak, narrow branch angles that can split.
When does it bloom?
Small cream puffball flowers open in the cool months, mostly fall through spring. Expect some flower litter under the tree then.
How cold hardy is Shoestring Acacia?
It is hardy to about 15 to 18°F, which covers a normal Valley winter.
Shoestring Acacia vs Willow Acacia?
Both are weeping Australian trees of similar size. Shoestring leaves are much longer, up to about 16 inches. See our Willow Acacia page to compare.
Shoestring Acacia for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Shoestring Acacia is a fast, evergreen Australian tree with long, weeping leaves and an upright, narrow shape. It fits tight spaces and screens in full sun and reflected heat. Below: size, water, training, flowers, litter and cold.
Sourced from trusted Arizona growers and delivered directly to your door, job site, or property. We deliver across the Valley and to nearby towns, and quote delivery anywhere else in Arizona.
Shoestring Acacia for narrow spaces
It grows about 20 to 40 feet tall but only 15 to 20 feet wide. The upright shape fits narrow side yards, spots near buildings and street plantings.
Is Shoestring Acacia a good screen tree?
Yes. It is fast and evergreen, and it is used as a tall screening tree. Its long, drooping leaves give light, airy shade.
How to water Shoestring Acacia in Phoenix
Once rooted it needs low water. Water deep and infrequently at the edge of the canopy, and avoid overwatering, since soggy soil can cause root rot.
Staking and pruning a young Shoestring Acacia
Stake it and prune it young to build a strong branch structure and raise the crown. Untrained trees form weak, narrow branch angles that can split.
Shoestring Acacia litter and reseeding
It drops leaves, flowers and bead-like pods, so plan on some raking under it. It can also reseed where it gets water, so pull seedlings while they are small.
Shoestring Acacia vs Willow Acacia
Both are weeping Australian trees of similar size. Shoestring has much longer leaves, up to about 16 inches.
We deliver across the Valley, from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa out to San Tan Valley, Maricopa and Casa Grande, and up to Prescott, Sedona, Payson and Globe. See delivery areas and rates.