Scientific: Leucaena retusa (Synonyms: Acacia sabeana, Caudoleucaena retusa)
Common: Golden leadball tree; littleleaf lead tree, lemonball
Family: Fabaceae (Leguminosae)
Origin: Rocky limestone canyons in the northern Chihuahuan Desert of south Texas, New Mexico and old Mexico.
Pronounciation: Lew-ka-EN-a ra-TOO-sa
Hardiness zones:
Sunset 12-13
USDA 7-11
Landscape Use: Accent, small tree for patios and residential landscapes, background screen, xeric and oasis landscape design themes.
Form & Character: Upright and rounded, tropical to semi-tropical, graceful, elegant, though wood is brittle.
Growth Habit: Semi-evergreen, woody, perennial small tree, moderate to 20 to 25 feet in height with slightly greater spread.
Foliage/Texture: Alternate, twice pinnately compound leaves to 4-inches long, feathery; medium fine texture.
Flowers & Fruits: Many terminal one-inch golden yellow pincushion flowers, fruit a brown, elongated flat pod.
Seasonal Color: Flowers during early spring.
Temperature: Tolerant, hardy to 5oF.
Light: Full sun
Soil: Well drained soils are necessary.
Watering: Only some supplemental water during summer.
Pruning: Elevate canopy base for this small tree, may require no pruning if used as a background screening plant.
Propagation: Seed
Disease and Pests: Texas root rot may be a problem in formerly agricultural soils.
Additional comments: Golden leadball tree is seldom seen in Phoenix landscapes or plant nurseries, even though it is a very nice small landscape tree for smaller spaces. Local wholesale nurseries ought to grow this nice little tree more, although it can look a bit sparse when small in size as a nursery container plant.
