Shrub or tree 2.5–7 (–10 m) high, often multistemmed with bushy crowns, rarely with a conifer or pseudo-confier growth form. Branchlets obscurely ribbed or ribless, ribs not resinous or with a normally thin layer of translucent resin; new shoots resinous, with a dense layer of dark-coloured glandular hairlets. Phyllodes narrowly linear to linear-elliptic, mostly shallowly incurved, not rigid, flat, 4–12 (–18) cm long, (1–) 1.5–3 (–4) mm wide, 2–3 cm long and clustered in groups of 2 or 3 on juvenile plants, glabrous or obscurely appressed-hairy between veins, normally grey-green to subglaucous and often with a silvery sheen, longitudinal veins numerous and very fine, margins not resinous; gland 0–1 (–3) mm above pulvinus. Inflorescences mostly simple; peduncles 4–10 (–15) mm long, sparsely to ±densely sericeous with commonly some red-brown glandular hairlets; spikes (10–) 15–30 (–40) mm long. Flowers 5-merous; sepals free, ½–¾ length of petals, normally linear-spathulate. Pods mostly straight-edged, flat, (1–) 1.5–4 cm long, (6–) 7–15 mm wide including the wing 0.4–1 (–2) mm wide, chartaceous to firmly chartaceous, normally brown to grey-brown, glabrous or sparsely appressed puberulous, obscurely reticulate; margins winged or rarely bevel-edged, often shiny-resinous. Seeds transverse to oblique, 3.5–5 mm long, 2.5–3 (–3.5) mm wide, elliptic to oblong or ovate; aril small, whitish or cream.
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An evergreen shrub or tree. It grows up to 7-15 m tall and spreads out to 7 m across. It has several slender stems. The bark is dark grey, thin and flaky. The branches extend in an upright fashion. The leaves (phyllodes) are greyish and narrow. The colour of mulga acacia is a distinctive greyish green. The leaves are about 7-25 cm long. They can vary from being thin and needle like and 2 mm across to being flattened and 2 cm across. They are leathery and sometimes hang down. The flowers occur in golden rods. These spikes are 1-3 cm long on short stems. The pods are in attractive easy to see bunches. They are flattish and 8 cm long. They are often narrow at the base and broad at the tip. They can be 1.5 cm wide and contain several hard dark seeds. There are 3-5 seeds per pod. The seeds are oval shaped. They have a very hard seed coat and are about 5 mm long.
It is a subtropical plant. It occurs throughout most of Australia in the drier central areas. It grows in areas with a rainfall below 400 mm per year. It prefers a light well drained soil. It can grow in alkaline soils. t is suited to dry open sunny positions. It mostly occurs on flat red earth plains. Often it grows in pure stands. It is drought and frost resistant. In Africa it grows up to 2,000 m altitude. It can grow in arid places. Mulga is killed by fire. It suits hardiness zones 9-10.
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Arid areas in all mainland states except Victoria. A dominant species in open woodland or shrubland in arid and semi-arid zones at elevations from sea level to about 1,000 metres.
Arid areas in all mainland states except Victoria. A dominant species in open woodland or shrubland in arid and semi-arid zones at elevations from sea level to about 1,000 metres.
Recorded from a wide range of habitats.
The seeds are ground into flour. The seed tastes like peanut butter and is nutritious. Galls on the tree are used to quench thirst. The bark exudes a gum that is edible. Water can sometimes be found in the roots. A sweet, red lerp that forms on the leaves and branches is eaten.
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