Whistling thorn
Vachellia drepanolobium
Family: Fabaceae
What it is like
A shrub or small tree. It grows 1-5 m tall. It produces a pair of straight spines at each node.
Where it is found
It is a tropical plant. It grows between 20 and 2,680 m above sea level.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, East Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda
How it is used for food
Young pods are eaten as a vegetable. The inner bark is chewed for its sweet/bitter taste.
Edible parts
Pods, bark, galls, fruit
How it is grown
Its other names
Local names
Synonyms
Acacia drepanolobium Harms ex Y. Sjostedt; Acacia formicarum Harms; Acacia lathouwersii Staner;