Classification of the genus Acacia (in the wider sense) has been subject to considerable debate. It is generally agreed that there are valid reasons for breaking it up into several distinct genera, but there has been disagreement over the way this should be done. As of 2017, it is widely (but not completely) accepted that the section that includes the majority of the Australian species should retain the name Acacia, whilst other sections of the genus should be transferred to other genera. This species is transferred to Vachellia[].

Common Name: White-Bark Acacia

General Information

Vachellia leucophloea is a thorny, deciduous tree with a spreading crown; it can grow up to 35 metres tall. The bole can be 35 - 100cm in diameter[]. The bole often has thorny suckers[].
The tree is harvested from the wild for a range of purposes, including edible seeds, useful timber, tannins and gum. It used to be grown commercially, and is sometimes still cultivated, for the tannins contained in its bark[, ]. The vivid colours of its leaves, flowers and bark make it a beautiful, yet underutilized, ornamental tree[].

Known Hazards

The seed of many Acacia species, including this one, is edible and highly nutritious, and can be eaten safely as a fairly major part of the diet. Not all species are edible, however, and some can contain moderate levels of toxins[]. Especially when harvesting from the wild, especial care should be taken to ensure correct identification of any plants harvested for food[].
Especially in times of drought, many Acacia species can concentrate high levels of the toxin Hydrogen cyanide in their foliage, making them dangerous for herbivores to eat.

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - Indian subcontinent, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia.

Habitat

A component of dry-forests, savannahs, bush woodlands, and desert ecosystems from sea level to elevations of 800 metres[]. Usually found on soils with poor to moderate fertility[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	20.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

A tree of tropical and subtropical climates, it is found at elevations ranging from sea level to 800 metres[]. Tolerant of a wide range of temperatures, succeeding in areas with a mean annual temperature in the range 6 - 49°c[]. It grows best in areas with a mean annual rainfall of 400 - 1,500mm, succeeding even in areas where the dry season may persist for 9-10 months[]. It can succeed in humid areas with a rainfall of 2,000mm, and also in semi arid areas with only 600mm of rain[].
Succeeds on sands, infertile rocky soils, limestone soils, organic clays and in alluvial areas[]. Requires a sunny position and a well-drained soil[].
On fertile soils, A. Leucophloea seedlings grow quickly, up to 60 cm a year. Under irrigation, height growth may reach 7 - 10 m in 5 - 6 years[]. Seedlings are light demanding and sensitive to weed competition, fire and frost. In order to exploit sufficient soil moisture, seedling root growth generally exceeds shoot growth. The trees produce a deep taproot and, once established, are very tolerant of drought, fire and frost[, ].
Trees respond well to coppicing[].
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[]. It fixes atmospheric nitrogen through a symbiotic relationship with Rhizobium bacteria which enables it to survive on infertile sites[].

Edible Uses

The germinated seeds are cooked and eaten as a vegetable[, ]. They contain crude protein 27 % dry matter. The other major nutrient contents are crude lipid 5 %, crude fibre 7 %, ash 4 % and total crude carbohydrates, 58 %[]. The seeds are a rich source of minerals such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron and manganese[]. The predominant seed protein fractions are globulins and albumins[].

Young seedpods - cooked and eaten as a vegetable[].

Medicinal

The gum obtained from the stem is used medicinally[, ].

The bark of all Acacia species contains greater or lesser quantities of tannins and are astringent. Astringents are often used medicinally - taken internally, for example. they are used in the treatment of diarrhoea and dysentery, and can also be helpful in cases of internal bleeding. Applied externally, often as a wash, they are used to treat wounds and other skin problems, haemorrhoids, perspiring feet, some eye problems, as a mouth wash etc[, ].
Many Acacia trees also yield greater or lesser quantities of a gum from the trunk and stems. This is sometimes taken internally in the treatment of diarrhoea and haemorrhoids[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The tree is suitable as a firebreak due to its fire resistance[].
A good reforestation species for poor soils in low rainfall areas[].

Other Uses

The source of a low quality gum that is used to adulterate gums of higher quality[]. A water-soluble gum of fair quality can be extracted from the stem and root bark[].

The leaves yield a black dye, whilst the bark produces a reddish-brown substance used to manufacture dyes and tannins[]. The bark contains 11 - 20% tannins, with older trees containing higher quantities[].

The strong but coarse fibres from the inner bark are used to make fish nets and rough rope[, , ].

The heartwood is brick-red with lighter and darker streaks; it is clearly demarcated from the pale yellow sapwood[, ]. A very beautiful wood, it is strong, heavy and hard[] It is durable indoors, but decays quickly if in contact with moist soil[]. The sapwood is perishable[]. The heartwood seasons well and takes a good polish[]. Although a little hard to work, the wood is used to make decorative furniture[, ]. Other commodities produced from the wood include poles, farming implements, carts, wheels, turnery, indoor construction timbers and flooring[].
The utilization of this species is limited because its wood has irregular interlocked grain, a rough texture and is difficult to work[].
The wood is appreciated as fuel and is suitable for charcoal production[, ].

Propagation

Seed - pre-treatment is necessary to break the hard seed coat. To encourage uniform germination, seed should be scarified either by submerging in boiled water that is allowed to cool for 24 hours, or by soaking in sulphuric acid for 10-30 minutes followed by soaking in cool water for 24 hours[]. The visibly swollen seeds should be sown immediately[]. Germination can still take 75 days[]. Viability of dried seeds can be maintained for up to 2 years at room temperature[].
When sown outdoors, the seed should be sown at a depth of 1 cm in lines 20-25 cm apart. Germination begins within a week[].
Plants can be established by direct sowing, stump sprouts or seedlings. Direct sowing is preferred because the large roots of seedlings may hamper transplanting[].

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