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Acacia karroo

Authority	Hayne
Family	Magnoliopsida:Rosidae:Fabales:Leguminosae
Synonyms	Acacia capensis (Burm.f.) Burch., Acacia dekindata A. Chev., Acacia dyeri P.P. Swartz, Acacia hirtella E.Mey., Acacia hirtella Willd. var inermis Walp., Acacia horrida (L.) Willd., Acacia horrida Willd. var transvaalensis Burtt Davy, Acacia inconflagrabilis Gerstn., Acacia karroo Hayne var transvaalensis (Burtt Davy) Burtt Davy, Acacia kosiensis P.P. Swartz, Acacia montana P.P. Swartz, Acacia natalitia E. Mey., Acacia reticulata (L.) Willd., Acacia robbertsii P.P. Swartz, Mimosa capensis Burm.f., Mimosa leucacantha Jacq., Mimosa nilotica Thunb., Mimosa reticulata L.
Common names	cape thorn tree, doringboom, groendoring, isiKhombe, isinga, karoo-thorn, karoodoring, leoka, mimosa thorn, mooka, mookana, mubayamhondoro, munenge, munga, muunga, muunga-ludzi, orusu, soetdoring, sweet thorn, umNga, umunga, white thorn, witdoring
Editor
Ecocrop code	2639

Notes
DESCRIPTION: The tree occupies a range of habitats and is consequently very variable. It ranges from a less than 2 meter tall shrub up to a 12-22 meter tall erect tree. It often has an upright profile with curved ascending branches, rich green foliage and striking colourful appearance when flowering. USE: It fixes nitrogen, provides shade, stabilizes sand dunes and degraded and disturbed areas. Its leaves, flowers and pods provide excellent fodder, the gum has many uses and it is a good honey tree, producing quantities of pollen and nectar three or four times a year during flowering. The wood is an excellent fuel, the timber is used for general purposes and the bark can be used for tanning and cordage. Bark and leaf infusions are astringent and widely used for diarrhoea and dysentery and an antidote to Œtulp‚ (Morea) poisoning in cattle. An infusion of the roots is used for general body pains and for dizziness, convulsions, gonorrhoea and as an aphrodisiac and are mixed in food for young infants with colic. GROWING PERIOD: Perennial. COMMON NAMES: Sweet thorn, Mimosa thorn, Cape thorn tree. FURTHER INF: It occupies a diverse range of habitats including dry thornveld, river valley scrub, bushveld, woodland, grassland, banks of dry watercourses, riverbanks, coastal dunes and coastal scrub. It grows on most soil types, but is often found on soils with a relatively high fertility such as clay and loam. Often associated with alluvial soils along the banks of rivers and streams. It is tolerant to cold, wind, fire and salt spray. It is an aggressive pioneer, readily invading degraded or overgrazed areas. Very cold tolerant and resistant to frost ˆ10°C which may cause defoliation but does not kill the trees. Young plants are however frost sensitive. It is the most widespread Acacia in southern Africa, ranging from South Africa to Angola, Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique.
Sources
EcoPort, Entity 2639, Ellis R.P., 2004