Common Name(s)
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hairy acacia
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slender thorn
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slapdoring (Afrikaans)
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moselaphala (Sotho)
Legume Clades
Cultivation Status in AZ
Uniquely cultivated by DELEP
Description
Drought- and cold-deciduous shrubs to 10 ft (3 m) high. The bark is smooth and reddish brown. Twigs have paired white spines at the nodes and young stems are covered with short, reddish hairs. Leaves are bipinnate with 2--5 pairs of pinnae, each with 3--10 pairs of leaflets. Yellow flowers are produced in spherical heads which appear in the summer months.
Habitat
Native to parts of Botswana, South Africa, and Zimbabwe where it is of scattered occurrence. In habitat, it is usually found on rocky soils in dry scrub.
Uses
None reported.
Horticulture
Hairy acacia in not grown in the U.S. It can be planted against hot walls and tolerates rocky soil. Though drought tolerant, it benefits from occasional irrigation during hot, dry weather. Due to the spiny stems, plants should be sited away from traffic areas. This species is hardy to about 20° F (-6.5° C). Litter is minimal.