Vachellia macracantha
Vachellia macracantha
Safety & Hazards
Vachellia macracantha specimens are usually cyanogenic (capable of producing the toxin hydrogen cyanide). Eightynine percent of specimens from Mexico and Central America were found to be cyanogenic, whilst 91% of specimens examined from South America tested positive for cyanide, usually strongly so. The compound proacacipetalin is responsible for this activity
Cultivation Details
A very variable species, leading to many synonyms being given to plants that were originally thought to be distinct. Vachellia macracantha occasionally hybridizes in the wild with Vachellia cochliacantha and with Vachellia pennatula. 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.
Propagation
The seed of most, if not all, members of this genus has a hard seedcoat and may benefit from scarification before sowing to speed up germination. This can usually be done by pouring a small amount of nearly boiling water on the seeds (being careful not to cook them!) and then soaking them for 12 - 24 hours in warm water. By this time they should have imbibed moisture and swollen - if they have not, then carefully make a nick in the seedcoat (being careful not to damage the embryo) and soak for a further 12 hours before sowing. Acacia seeds that have matured fully on the bush and have been properly dried have a hard seed coat and can be stored in closed containers without deterioration for 5 - 10 years or more in dry conditions at ambient temperatures. It is best to remove the aril, which attracts weevils and can lead to moulds forming. The arils are easilyremoved by placing the seeds in water and rubbing them between the hands, then drying the seeds and winnowing them[1]. Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Vachellia+macracantha>
Pollinators
Bees, Insects
References
- [1]Potential of Australian Acacias in combating hunger in semi-arid lands — Rinaudo A.; Patel P.; Thomson L.A.J. · 2002 ↩︎
- [2]Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants — http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336 ↩︎Terse details of a huge range of useful plants.
- [3]An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used in Loja and Zamora-Chinchipe, Ecuador — Tene V. et al · 2007 · https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2006.10.032 · ISBN 0378-8741 ↩︎
- [4]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 ↩︎