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Acacia caffra

Authority
Family	Magnoliopsida:Rosidae:Fabales:Leguminosae
Synonyms	Acacia caffra Willd. var. longa Glover, Acacia caffra Willd. var. namaquensis Ekl. & Zeyh., Acacia caffra Willd. var. tomentosa Glover, Acacia caffra Willd. var. transvaalensis Glover, Acacia fallax E. Mey., Acacia multijuga Meissn., Mimosa caffra Thunb.
Common names	cat thorn, common hook thorn, gewone haakdoring, katdoring, moisitsane, moroba-diepe, morunlhatana, morutlhare, morutlhatsana, morutlhware, mositsana, mositsane, motholo, muvunda-mbado, umnyamanzi, umthole, umtholo, water thorn
Editor
Ecocrop code	11819

Notes
A graceful deciduous tree up to 14m tall, often with a twisted trunk and a rather thin, spreading, narrow crown. Its graceful shape and feathery foliage make it an attractive tree. The drooping foliage gives the canopy a lovely soft look. This is one of the first trees to shoot in spring independently of the first spring rains and the new leaves are striking, being a soft, fresh green. One of the least thorny Acacia species. USE: The heartwood, in particular, is resistant to insect attack and fence poles of this wood have a very long lifespan. Also suited for ornamental work and as firewood. The flowers have a heavy perfume and are much frequented by bees. The leaves and pods are eaten by livestock. This attractive tree has potential as a garden tree. GROWING PERIOD: Perennial. COMMON NAMES: Common hook thorn. FURTHER INF: Found naturally in a wide variety of habitats in woodland and wooded grassland, frequently along rivers and streams. An adaptable species growing from coastal scrub to mountain slopes at an altitude up to 1500m. In the south and east of southern Africa it is particularly common along stream banks. In these areas it is often a shrub. Inland it is a species of hillslopes (often dolerite) in bushveld and savanna. Tolerates low soil pH and is often found on sandy leached acidic soils in high rainfall areas.
Sources
See EcoPort