Arizona Wild Flowers
Wildflower Pictures And Photos

White Thorn Acacia, Acacia constricta

White Thorn Acacia, Acacia constricta - Photo Taken June 13, 2003 At Date Creek.

White Thorn Acacia	Acacia constricta

White Thorn Acacia Acacia constricta, Bean Family ( fabaceae ), White Thorn Acacia. Also called mescat acacia. A large deciduous shrub or small multistemmed tree. The white thorns which give it its name are conspicuous, rigid and very sharp. Whitethorn acacia plants are long lived. Some plants in the Sonoran Desert are known to be more than 72 years old. Height: About 6 - 15 feet. Can reach 17+ feet. Flowers: Yellow puffballs, on a 2 to 3 inch long stalk, aromatic, biggest bloom in spring and early summer, then sporadic. Blooming Time: April to June. Stems/Trunks: White thorns of varying length; typically 1/4 to 1in long and white; thorns are most obvious on young trees, fewer found on mature specimens; young stem growth has reddish color, turning brown to gray-brown and becoming furrowed and scaly. Leaves: The leaves are alternate, semi-evergreen, bipinnately compound, 2 to 4 inches long, with 4 to 6 pairs of major leaflets and 8 to 12 pairs of minor leaflets about ,1 inches long and 1/2 inch wide. They are green to gray - green in color. Seed Pod: A slender, long pod, 2 - 5 inches long, dark brown, the pod sheath is constricted between the seeds. Flat elliptical seeds inside. Elevation: 1500 - 5000 Feet. Habitat: Washes, flats and canyons below 5000'. Sonoran deserts of Arizona and Mexico. Miscellaneous: Flowering Photos Taken At Date Creek. June 13, 2003.