Family: Fabaceae

Acacia melanoxylon, commonly known as Australian blackwood, is a fast-growing evergreen tree native to southeastern Australia. It can reach heights of 20–40 meters and is valued for its attractive dark timber, which has a rich, varied grain used in furniture, cabinetry, and musical instruments. The species produces feathery, bipinnate leaves and fragrant yellow flower clusters in late winter to spring. Australian blackwood is adaptable to a range of soils and climates, tolerates frost and drought, and can fix nitrogen, which improves soil fertility. These traits have made it popular for plantations and reforestation projects worldwide.

Although Australian blackwood is cultivated for timber and ornamental purposes, it can naturalize outside its native range and become invasive in some regions. It produces abundant seeds that can spread into disturbed areas, roadsides, and open woodlands, where it can outcompete native vegetation. Its dense canopy and leaf litter may alter soil chemistry and light availability, impacting local ecosystems. While it provides economic benefits, careful management is recommended to prevent uncontrolled spread in non-native areas.

High Risk Traits:

• Naturalized in Hawai‘i (Kaua'i, O'ahu, Molokai, and Maui)
  
• Naturalized and invasive in regions outside its native range (e.g., South Africa)
  
• Classified as an environmental weed
  
• Exhibits allelopathic effects—inhibits germination and growth of other plants
  
• Broad climate adaptability and environmental versatility
  
• Reproduces vegetatively via coppicing and root suckering
  
• Self-compatible—can reproduce without cross-pollination
  
• Prolific seed production (64,000 viable seeds/kg)
  
• Seeds remain viable for over 50 years, forming persistent seed banks
  
• Dispersed by birds and water, aiding spread
  
• Tolerates fire and disturbance, with fire-stimulated germination
  
• Nitrogen-fixing, which can alter soil chemistry
  
• Not well controlled by herbicides, but not aggressively resistant

Low Risk Traits:

• Not shade tolerant
  
• Not toxic to animals or humans (except rare contact allergies)
  
• Not a host for significant pests or pathogens
  
• Does not produce spines, thorns, or burrs
  
• No evidence of unintentional dispersal or produce contamination