Acacia cowleana
Acacia cowleana
Safety & 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[1]. Especially when harvesting from the wild, especial care should be taken to ensure correct identification of any plants harvested for food[PFAF]. 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.
Cultivation Details
Acacia cowleana is a plant of the arid to semi-arid zone of subtropical and tropical Australia, where it is found at elevations up to 650 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 24 - 35°c, but can tolerate 12 - 45°c[2]. When dormant, the plant can survive temperatures down to about -2°c, but young growth is more tender can be severely damaged at 0°c[2]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 250 - 400mm, but tolerates 200 - 500mm[2]. Requires a sunny position. Prefers a well-drained soil, though plants can tolerate seasonal inundation of the soil[2]. Grows best in light to medium-textured soils, and is tolerant of low fertility[2]. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 7, tolerating 4.5 - 8[2]. Acacia cowleana is not widely grown but should be a reliable shrub for temperate to arid climates in reasonably well drained soils. It has been successfully cultivated in California[3]. A fast-growing but fairly short-lived species with a life span of 5 - 12 years[2]. The seeds of most acacia species can be quickly and efficiently harvested at full maturity without the need for any specialised equipment. Small seed-bearing branches can be cut and beaten on sheets, or bushes can be beaten or shaken directly onto large sheets[4]. Closely related to and previously confused with the tetraploid species Acacia elachantha[5]. This species has been rarely cultivated compared to its close relative Acacia elachantha . The information given under Acacia cowleana in J.C.Doran & J.W.Turnbull (eds), Austral. Trees & Shrubs: species for land rehabilitation and Australian Trees & Shrubs: Species for Land Rehabilitation & Farm Planting in the Tropics 134–135 (1997) and P.Latz, Bushfires & Bushtucker 94 (1995) is mainly attributable to A. elachantha[5]. 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[6].
Propagation
Seed - requires pre-treatment to break down the hard coat[7]. Pouring a small amount of boiling water over the seeds (which cools down quickly and so does not cook the seed), and then leaving to soak for 12 hours is usually effective, as is making a small incision in the coat to allow water to penetrate. Germination levels of 40 - 80% take place in 6 - 15 days[7]. Treated seeds are sown in germination beds, and seedlings are transplanted into polythene bags when they reach the 2-leaf-pair stage. Seeds can also be sown straight into polythene bags. Young seedlings should initially be kept at 50% sunlight, but this can be increased to 70% once they have been established. In general, 3 - 4 months are needed to raise seedlings to a plantable size, 25 cm in height[7]. Seeds stored in airtight containers at room temperature retain their viability for several years[7]. Cuttings may succeed but the success rate may be well below 100%[3]. Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2026-02-19. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Acacia+cowleana>
Pollinators
Insects
References
- [1]Acacia in Australia: Ethnobotany and Potential Food Crop — Lister P.R.; Holford P.; Haigh T.; Morrison D.A. · ASHS Press, Alexandria, VA. · 1996 · https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/proceedings1996/v3-toc.html · ISBN 0-9615027-3-8 ↩︎
- [2]Ecocrop — http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home ↩︎Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available.
- [3]Australian Native Plants Society — http://anpsa.org.au/index.html ↩︎A series of fact sheets on Australian plants. Good photographs, brief description and information on uses, habitat, range, cultivation etc.
- [4]Potential of Australian Acacias in combating hunger in semi-arid lands — Rinaudo A.; Patel P.; Thomson L.A.J. · 2002 ↩︎
- [5]Flora of Australia — http://www.anbg.gov.au/abrs/abif/flora/ ↩︎The full information from the Flora of Australia - on-line. An excellent resource.
- [6]Australian Trees and Shrubs: Species for Land Rehabilitation and Farm Planting in the Tropics — Doran J.C.; Turnbull J.W. (Editors) · Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research; Canbe · 1997 · ISBN 1-86320-127-0 ↩︎A very informative book, rich in information about the uses, cultivation needs and very much more for over 160 species of Australian trees and shrubs.
- [7]World Agroforesty Centre — http://www.worldagroforestry.org/ ↩︎An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc.
- [8]The Useful Native Plants of Australia. — Maiden J.H. · Turner & Co.; London. · 1889 · http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org ↩︎Terse details of the uses of many Australian plants and other species naturalised, or at least growing, in Australia. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
- [PFAF]Plants for a Future — pfaf.org ↩︎