Acacia dealbata (Silver Wattle)

Native to southeastern Australia, this fast-growing shrub or tree can reach about one hundred feet tall. It has been introduced widely beyond Australia, including in Europe, southern Africa, South America and New Zealand, and has naturalized in parts of southern and western Australia. Its finely divided, silvery foliage gives the canopy a pale appearance. Clusters of rounded yellow flowerheads develop from late winter into spring. The species is planted in shelterbelts and for erosion control, and its wood is used for pulp and fuel. It is invasive in Portugal and Spain, where its spread threatens native vegetation. Photographed in Colombia.