Acacia derives its name from the Greek word ‘akis’ which means a point or a barb. The genus ‘Acacia’ belongs to the family of ‘Fabaceae’. Acacia grows naturally throughout the world. It is called ‘Wattles’ in Australia and is the national flower of the country. About 1350 species of acacia are found to exist of which 1000 are found in Australia itself.

The normally yellow acacia flowers are quite small, and the presence of multiple stamens gives the flower a blurry look. The colour range can vary to include shades like light yellow, cream, and even golden. The hundreds of tiny flowers of acacia may be in the shape of a globe or have cylindrical spikes. The small feather-like leaves of acacia can be light or dark green, blue or grey in colour. In acacia, pollen is not produced by the flower but is secreted by the leaves and the phyllode glands. Insects like ants, bees, butterflies get attracted and in turn help in pollination.

The attractive and sweetly scented acacia is a popular garden flower. It is also used as fuel and to produce charcoal. A species of acacia is processed to make snuff in America. The edible acacia seeds are used in a number of food products.