Vegetative parts of the plant and especially the yellow flowers give off an intense vanilla scent.

The small flowers, whose optical effect is based on the yellow stamens, are located in the leaf axils.

It is commonly planted by freeways and is found throughout Southern California and some parts of the Bay Area.

[4] The plant is considered an invasive weed in areas of California where it was used as a fast growing groundcover along freeways.

[1] Acacia redolens thrives on salty or alkaline loamy, clayey, clayey-loamy or sandy soils and can be used as a groundcover.