Acacia mearnsii De Wild. Black Wattle An upright large shrub or tree with greyish, bipinnate leaves, and spikes of pale yellow, globular scented flower heads, native of New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia and Tasmania, flowering in September-December (spring). Tree fast-growing to 25m; leaves c.10cm long, with 10-25 pairs of pinnae. Pods 5-15cm, dark brown or black, very constricted between the seeds. For well-drained soil, but stands drought and wet. Min. -5°C. This species is commonly naturalised in warm semi-arid climates, and is a pest in parts of South Africa, destroying the natural vegetation and regenerating quickly after fire. Z8.