Acacia farnesiana (L.) Willd.
Acacia farnesiana (L.) Willd. Family
Leguminosae
Acacia farnesiana (L.) Willd. English Name
Sweet Acacia
Acacia farnesiana (L.) Willd. Local Name
Gu-Kikar, Vilayati Kikar
Acacia farnesiana (L.) Willd. Description
An evergreen, thorny shrub or small tree. 3 to 5 m tall. Leaves are compound 1.2 to 5.5 cm long. The flowers are yellow growing in showy heads. The fragrant flowers mature between November and March depending on geographic location. The pods are small, 4 to 7 cm, and mature between April and August. At present no disease or insects problems have been identified. It is easily reproduced from seed. It will seed naturally on sites where it is adapted. It is relatively slow growing, but will yield 1 to 3 m3/ha/yr. Close grained and sapwood is white, heartwood is red
Acacia farnesiana (L.) Willd. Distribution
This tree is native to tropical America. It has been successfully planted and is adapted to many areas of Pakistan up to an elevation limit of 1200 m. A moderately intolerant tree that grows best on a variety of loose sandy soils. Prefers well drained sites along water courses. It will tolerate saline, alkali sites. It grows in precipitation of 250 to 1200 mm/yr. It prefers a semi-arid, sub-humid climate within a temperature range of -5 to 35°C. It exhibits some frost hardiness. This nitrogen fixing tree is adapted to a variety of arid sites including saline, sodic soils. It is an aggressive tree because it can tolerate some shade.
Acacia farnesiana (L.) Willd. Uses
Potential as a farm forestry tree particularity in areas where salinity and/or sodicity is a problem. Wood is heavy, hard and very strong. Can be used as fodder (goats), fuel, perfume, nitrogen fixing, hedge, windbreak and lac production.