Umbrella thorn

It grows in Mediterranean and tropical places. It is common all over Africa. It does best on alkaline soils. It grows in hot dry areas. Some forms have salt tolerance. It is drought resistant and cold tolerant. It grows between sea level and 2,000 m above sea level. It grows in areas with an annual rainfall between 50-1,000 mm. It can grow in arid places. It suits hardiness zones 9-11.

Also known as:

Abaq, Dadach, Dhetata, Etirr, Galool, Haak-en-steek, Israeli babool, Mgunga, Munga, Nchongwe, Ol-gorete, Ol-tepesi, Qudhac, Qurac, Sagararam, Timad, Ullaf, Xadacha

Synonyms

Acacia heteracantha Burch.

Acacia maras Engl.

Acacia litakunensis Burch.

Acacia spirocarpoides Engl.

Acacia tortilis (Forssk.) Hayne

Mimosa tortilis Forssk.

Edible Portion

Seeds, Gum, Pods, Bark, Leaves

Where does Umbrella thorn grow?

Found in: Africa, Algeria, Angola, Arabia, Australia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Central Africa, Chad, Djibouti, East Africa, Egypt, Eswatini, Ethiopia, India, Iran, Israel, Kenya, Libya, Malawi, Mali, Mediterranean, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, North Africa, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Sahel, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, UAE, West Africa, Western Sahara, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Notes: There are about 1,350 Acacia species. Over 1,000 occur in Australia. Also as Mimosaceae.

Growing Umbrella thorn

Cultivation: It is grow from seed. The seeds germinate slowly and only some seed germinate. The seed coat is very hard. To assist seed to grow they should be soaked in hot water then allowed to cool and soak overnight for 24 hours. Seed can be stored for a long time and will still grow. The plant can be cut back and will re-grow.

Edible Uses: The gum is eaten. The bark is used as a snack and thirst quencher.

Production: It grows slowly. In Kenya pods are available September to November.

Nutrition Info

per 100g edible portion

Edible Part	Energy (kcal)	Protein (g)	Iron (mg)	Vitamin A (ug)	Vitamin c (mg)	Zinc (mg)	% Water
	-	-	-	-	-	-

References

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