Its seeds can be roasted and used as a coffee substitute. Its bark helps treat diarrhoea. Watering troughs are made from its trunk. Wildlife and livestock feed on its nutritious pods. The Ana tree is a tree truly valued by both humans and animals.
This year is dedicated to it – at least in Namibia. Namibia has named the ana tree its 'Tree of the Year' for 2026, as announced by the Botanical Society of Namibia (BotSoc). Today is Arbor Day, as it is always observed in Namibia on the second Friday in October.
Botanists call the tree Faidherbia albida, named after the French governor of Senegal, Louis Faidherbe (1818–1889). 'Albida', derived from the Latin adjective 'albidus' (meaning 'whitish'), refers to the whitish-grey branches and pale thorns of the Ana tree (see Wikipedia).
The common name 'Ana tree' originates from Khoekhoegowab, the language of the Nama and Dama(ra) peoples. In English-speaking regions, it is also known as the 'Apple-ring acacia'. Its distinctive, spirally twisted, orange-brown fruit pods bear a striking resemblance to dried apple rings.
Even more widely used is the name 'Winter thorn'. This refers to a characteristic that sets it apart from most other trees: during the summer – the rainy season – it sheds its leaves and stands bare.
The Ana tree only produces leaves in May, at the onset of winter and the dry season. Botanists attribute this behaviour to the tree's need to avoid waterlogged soil, a condition that occurs in dry riverbeds following heavy rainfall. Partly due to this distinction, it is no longer classified as an acacia (see also the Tree Atlas of Namibia).
Found in Namibia primarily along dry riverbeds but also on floodplains: the Ana tree (Faidherbia albida), Namibia's Tree of the Year for 2026. Photo: Botanical Society of Namibia (BotSoc)
It is easily recognisable in the wild: bare in summer, in leaf during winter. The Ana tree can grow up to 30 meters tall. Its taproot extends to a depth of 40 meters, allowing it to tap into the groundwater flow of riverbeds.
It features alternate, bipinnate leaves with a blue-green appearance. Its thorns are actually modified stipules. The Ana tree's yellow flower clusters resemble small, delicate spikes. Flowering season runs from April to September.
Flowers and leaves of the Ana tree (Faidherbia albida), Namibia's Tree of the Year for 2026. Photo: Roger Culos, Wikipedia
Its pods are 10 to 35 cm long and 2 to 5 cm wide, with a curved and twisted shape. Ranging in colour from orange to reddish-brown, they can contain up to 29 dark brown, egg-shaped seeds.
Pods of the Ana tree (Faidherbia albida), also known in English as the 'apple ring acacia' due to their appearance. The Ana tree is Namibia's Tree of the Year for 2026. Photo: Bernard Dupont, Wikipedia
The bark of the Ana tree is considered a natural remedy. A decoction made from boiled bark is traditionally used to treat diarrhoea, bleeding and eye inflammation. In the Kunene region, branches and strips of bark are used to construct traditional huts. Hollowed-out trunks serve as watering troughs or 'mokoros' (canoes).
Both wildlife and livestock feed on the pods, which are highly nutritious. Many communities in northwestern Namibia gather and store them as fodder. A large Ana tree can produce a ton of pods.
Distribution of the Ana tree (Faidherbia albida), Namibia's Tree of the Year for 2026. Graphic: Ninjatacoshell, Wikipedia
The Ana tree is found in the riverbeds of central, western, and northwestern Namibia (see also the article by Luise Hoffmann in The Namibian). Its range extends roughly from the Tsauchab to the Kunene River and inland as far as Rehoboth, Windhoek and Outjo.
It also occurs in the far east of the Zambezi region. Furthermore, its distribution range extends across vast areas of Africa, reaching as far north as Egypt and the Arabian Peninsula.
Anyone interested in plants should plan to spend a day in Windhoek and visit the Botanical Garden. It offers a great introduction to and overview of Namibia's flora (see the article on Namibian.org).
National Botanical Garden
Open Monday to Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Entrance at the National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI), 8 Hügel/Orban Street (turning off from Sam Nujoma Drive near the intersection with Robert Mugabe Avenue).
Web page (on the website of the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism)
Contact: Curator Leevi Nanyeni +264 81 248 2602.