Acacia drepanolobium
Michael's Opinion
Vachellia (Acacia) drepanolobium is a very odd tree. The fruit on it is a big dark red almost plum-looking fruit with huge white thorns protruding out of it that produces gum that is eaten by people around Africa. The leaves on the trees are paripinnate-type leaves. It’s a smaller tree it’s more like a shrub to a dwarf tree with it being around 3.00 m to 7.5 m.
Botanical Information
| Family | Fabaceae |
| Genus | Acacia |
| Species | drepanolobium |
| Category | Woody |
| Type | Tree (deciduous) |
| References | Okello, B., O’Connor, T., & Young, T. (2001, February 13). Growth, biomass estimates, and charcoal production of Acacia drepanolobium in Laikipia, Kenya. Retrieved November 18, 2020, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378112700003467 |
| Origin | The Vachellia (Acacia) drepanolobium is primarily dominant in East Africa. It is a tree typically grown in Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda with a couple of trees found in South Sedan, Eritrea, and Somalia. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses Disclaimer | In some parts of Africa, this tree is harvested for its gum, bark, and root. The root has some medicinal uses and is used to treat diarrhea and dysentery, and can also be helpful in cases of internal bleeding. |
Details
| USDA Hardiness Zone | 10 - 11 |
| USDA Hardiness Ref. | |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone | 9 |
| Canada Hardiness Ref. | |
| RHS Hardiness Zone | H3 |
| RHS Hardiness Ref. | |
| Temperature (°C) | (-1) - 5 |
| Temperature (°F) | 30 - 40 |
| Height | 3 - 7.5 m |
| Spread | 3 - 9 m |
| Growth | Fast |
| Flowering Period | January, November, December |
Description and Growing Information
| General Description | A fairly odd-looking tree with some key features, big round plum looking fruit that produces gum. A fairly small tree being 3-7.5M with some outliers going up to 9M, lastly, it has horns coming out of the fruit. |
| Cultivation | Requires full sun in loam-heavy soil. Likely to be grown under protection when out of habitat. |
| Habitat | A. drepanolobium prefers dry climates, being fairly drought resistant. This plant is frequently found in savannas and tropical/subtropical forests in eastern Africa. |