Kalahari acacia

Kalahari acacia: Not surprisingly the Kalahari acacia (Acacia leuderitzii) grows predominately on Kalahari sands and on occasions calcrete, a sedimentary rock. The rounding and spreading crown enables the tree to grow up to 5m high with distinctive brown-grey to reddish, almost black, bark. Thorns can be straight or curved, the leaves are dark green and the white to cream-coloured flowers blossom from November to March.

The straight, flat dark reddish-brown fruit pod opens when ripe. There are some similarities between this tree and A. tortilis, the umbrella thorn, only this species has thicker branches and a more upright appearance.