Acacia sieberiana woodii

Acacia sieberiana woodii

Common Names

Papierbasdoring (afrikaans)
Paperbark Thorn (english)
Mokha (tswana)
Musaunga (venda)
Umkhamba (zulu)
Mokgaba (sesotho)

Taxonomy

Family FABACEAE
Genus Acacia
Species sieberiana
Sub Specie woodii
SA Plant Number 187
Basionym Acacia sieberiana woodii

Description

The Acacia sieberiana woodii (=Vachellia sieberiana) is a hardy (protect from frost when young) large, semi-deciduous, flat-topped Acacia is fast growing. This impressive tree develops its wide spreading flat-topped shape whilst still young.

It has abundant, fragrant, creamy, puffball flowers from September to November that attract a myriad of insects and birds. These are followed by hard woody pods that are nutritious and eaten by cattle and game.

They thrive in poor soils and will grow in rocky areas and in shale. If planting in colder areas make sure the plants are grown from seed collected in cold areas or they may battle to acclimatise to the cold conditions.

Part of their natural distribution is in the Drakensberg so once established they can tolerate cold conditions. This quintessential African tree attracts birds and insects and is an important butterfly host plant.

Size 5 to 18m

Wildlife

Birds:

It is a favoured nesting tree for Barbets. The Green Wood Hoopoe love probing under the yellow, papery, flaking bark for insects.

Butterflies:
This tree is a host plant to the Common Scarlet butterfly (Axiocerses tjoane tjoane).

Uses

Distribution

Limpopo, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu Natal


Biome:
Grassland, Thicket


Habitat:
Woodland

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