Umbrella Thorn, Umbrella Thorn Acacia, Israeli Babool
Vachellia tortilis · Fabaceae · 우산가시아카시아나무
How to spot it
The flat umbrella-shaped crown and spirally twisted pods are the main identifying features.
Look
- Leaves
- The leaflets of the compound leaf are very small, 1 to 4 mm long and 0.6 to 1 mm wide, hairless or finely hairy.
- Flowers
- White, cream or yellow flowers with a strong scent.
- Fruit
- Brown pods twisted in a spiral are characteristic of this species.
Where it grows
- Native to
- Native to dry and semi-arid zones of Africa and the Middle East (Arabian Peninsula, Israel), between latitudes 15 and 30° N at 0 to 1,000 m elevation.
- Ecology
- A nitrogen-fixing species that grows in alkaline sandy soil and rocky ground, tolerating strong salt, seasonal flooding and temperature swings from 0 to 50°C.