Water wattle is a fast-growing evergreen spreading shrub or a small tree recognized by its long, slender leaves and large clusters of bright yellow, puffy flowers. This shrub can grow in pretty much any type of soil as long as it has good drainage. Water wattle grows best in loamy soils with medium moisture, but it can also tolerate drier and lighter substrates. Like all acacias, it forms symbiotic relationships with nitrogen-fixing soil microorganisms, so it can be planted for improving soil fertility. This evergreen shrub likes to grow in full sun and doesn't tolerate shade, especially if cultivated in temperate areas. Water wattle blooms multiple times during the year, and produces a lot of pollen. This attracts bees, butterflies and other insects that use this sweet, powdery substance as food. This is very fortunate considering water wattle is a self-incompatible plant and requires the help of pollinators to reproduce. Water wattle produces a large number of seeds which are very nutritious. Even though this plant usually doesn't threaten other vegetation, it can display aggressive behavior in some parts of the world, including Portugal, Mexico, Hawaii and southwestern parts of the US.