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Native Plant Database

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Acacia constricta (Whitethorn acacia)
Bransford, W.D. and Dolphia

Acacia constricta Benth.

Whitethorn acacia, White-thorn acacia, Mescat acacia, Mescat wattle, Whitethorn, Vara Prieta, Chaparro Prieto

Fabaceae (Pea Family)

USDA Symbol: ACCO2

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

A 9-15 ft., multi-trunked tree with small, yellow-orange balls of fragrant flowers and finely segmented, pinnate leaves which fall off during dry seasons. Long spines on older growth. 2-4 in. beans ripen to bright red. Winter branches are purplish-colored. Mescat Wattle, or Whitethorn, is found in the wild without thorns, so a thornless selection is possible.

 

From the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Leaf Retention: Evergreen
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Fruit Type: Legume
Size Notes: 9-15 feet.
Leaf: Green
Flower: Flowers in 1/2 inch globes
Fruit: Red 2 inch beans
Size Class: 6-12 ft. , 12-36 ft.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Yellow
Bloom Time: May , Jun , Jul , Aug

Distribution

USA: AZ , MD , NM , TX , VA
Native Distribution: TX to AZ & Mex.
Native Habitat: Flat desert areas, High elevation. Dry slopes; washes; mesas.
USDA Native Status: L48(N)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Low
Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Dry
CaCO3 Tolerance: High
Soil Description: Sandy, Caliche type, Sandy Loam, limestone soil.
Conditions Comments: Whitethorn is found in the wild without thorns, so a thornless selection is possible. Form is variable.

Benefit

Use Ornamental: Attractive, Blooms ornamental, Fruits ornamental
Use Wildlife: Nectar-insects, Nectar-butterflies, Nectar-bees, Browse, Seeds-granivorous birds
Conspicuous Flowers: yes

Propagation

Propagation Material: Seeds
Description: Increase using untreated seed or by root division.
Seed Collection: Late summer to early fall when seeds are firm, filled out, and dark brown
Seed Treatment: Not Available

Find Seed or Plants

Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is either on display or available from the following:

Texas Discovery Gardens - Dallas, TX
Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR

Bibliography

Bibref 995 - Native Landscaping from El Paso to L.A. (2000) Wasowski, S. and A. Wasowski
Bibref 318 - Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region (2002) Wasowski, S. & A. Wasowski
Bibref 291 - Texas Wildscapes: Gardening for Wildlife (1999) Damude, N. & K.C. Bender
Bibref 297 - Trees of Central Texas (1984) Vines, Robert A.

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Web Reference

Webref 1 - Benny Simpson's Texas Native Shrubs (2002) Texas A&M University Agriculture Program and Leslie Finical, Dallas Arboretum

Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Acacia constricta in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Acacia constricta in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Acacia constricta

Metadata

Record Modified: 2012-09-17
Research By: TWC Staff

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