It is a large shrub or small evergreen[2] tree growing up to 13.7 m (45 ft) tall.

It is a fast grower, dropping lots of leaf litter, with a life span of about 10–50 years.

[3] In the Northern Hemisphere, A. salicina flowers primarily from October to January and the seed pods are often visible from April to July.

[7] The specific epithet salicina refers to its pendulous, willow-like (genus Salix) habit.

[9] Acacia salicina is an erect or spreading shrub or tree 3–10 metres high, sometimes to 20 m, which often suckers freely.

[2] Acacia salicina spreads widely through seed dispersal, and individual trees can rapidly form thickets through production of adventitious shoots from the root system.