The first European acacia sprouted in Paris, just before 1600, from the seeds that Jean Rodin, a botanist in Henry IV's court, had planted in his garden. Although originally from North America, acacia, a frugal and resistant plant, rapidly adapted throughout Europe.
Today bee-keepers appreciate acacia because of its abundance of flowers. Botanists define it an invasive plant, but it does deserve some praise: with its extended and superficial roots it consolidates steep slopes and sandy terrains.