River wattle
Acacia difficilis
Family: Fabaceae
What it is like
A shrub or small tree. It grows 5 m tall. There are prickles along the stem. The leaves are twice divided and there are 8-18 pairs of pinnae. There are up to 50 pairs of pinnules on each pinnae. The flowers are yellow. They are in large clusters at the ends of branches. The pods are flattened.
There are about 1,350 Acacia species. Over 1,000 occur in Australia. Also as Mimosaceae.
Where it is found
It is a tropical plant. It normally grows in sandy well drained soils. It grows naturally in open forest and along creek banks.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Asia, Australia, Burkina Faso, East Africa, India, Kenya, Niger, Sahel, Southern Africa, West Africa, Zimbabwe
How it is used for food
The gum is eaten. The seeds are eaten.
Edible parts
Seeds, gum
How it is grown
It is grown from seed. Seed need to be immersed in boiling water for one minute to break the seed coat.
The tree flowers in May to August and produces pods and seeds in August to October.