Catclaw acacia
It is a subtropical plant. It does well in hot conditions and is very drought tolerant once established. It grows below 1,500 m above sea level. It grows in areas with an annual rainfall between 250-300 mm. It can grow in arid places.
Also known as:
Cat's paw, Devilsclaw, Gregg Catclaw, Texas mimosa
Synonyms
- Acacia durandiana Buckley
- Senegalia greggii (A. Gray) Britton & Rose
Edible Portion
- Pods, Seeds
Where does Catclaw acacia grow?
Found in: Africa, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Mexico, North Africa, North America, United States
Notes: There are about 1,350 Acacia species. Over 1,000 occur in Australia. This one is native to North America. Also as Mimosaceae. The seeds are 33 % protein.
Growing Catclaw acacia
Cultivation: Plants can be grown from seeds. The seeds are best soaked in acid to break the hard seed coat. It can be used as a hedge. It can be grown from semi-ripe cuttings.
Edible Uses: The pods are eaten raw. They are also boiled or pounded into a meal for porridge or cakes. The dried pods are used for flour. The dried seeds are eaten like beans.
Nutrition Info
per 100g edible portion| Edible Part | Energy (kcal) | Protein (g) | Iron (mg) | Vitamin A (ug) | Vitamin c (mg) | Zinc (mg) | % Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pods | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Seeds | - | - | - | - | - | - |
References
Beckstrom-Sternberg, Stephen M., and James A. Duke. "The Foodplant Database." http://probe.nalusda.gov:8300/cgi-bin/browse/foodplantdb.(ACEDB version 4.0 - data version July 1994)
Bircher, A. G. & Bircher, W. H., 2000, Encyclopedia of Fruit Trees and Edible Flowering Plants in Egypt and the Subtropics. AUC Press. p 4
Facciola, S., 1998, Cornucopia 2: a Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, p 151
Grandtner, M. M., 2008, World Dictionary of Trees. Wood and Forest Science Department. Laval University, Quebec, Qc Canada. (Internet database http://www.WDT.QC.ca)
Kiple, K.F. & Ornelas, K.C., (eds), 2000, The Cambridge World History of Food. CUP p 1713
Little, E.L., 1980, National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees. Alfred A. Knopf. p 514
Pl. wright. 1:65. 1852 (Smithsonian Contr. Knowl. 3, Art. 5)
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (1999). Survey of Economic Plants for Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (SEPASAL) database. Published on the Internet; http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/ceb/sepasal/internet [Accessed 26th April 2011]
Tozer, F., 2007, The Uses of Wild Plants. Green Man Publishing. p 13
Usher, G., 1974, A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable. p 13
Young, J., (Ed.), 2001, Botanica's Pocket Trees and Shrubs. Random House. p 47