Ana tree

The Ana tree is an outstandingly large thorn tree that has been known to grow up to 25m tall. The central plateau region of Namibia is predominantly acacia country, and the Ana can be found in the valleys of the Swakop, Kuiseb and Omaruru Rivers. The younger trees have a more slender appearance than the older ones, that have wide-spreading crowns and characteristic pendent branchlets. The stems are long and bare, only branching higher up. The older stems are grey-brown in colour and the bark is relatively smooth, that sometimes break into small blocks.

The Ana is a deciduous tree and loses its leaves in summer; the leaves are pale buff-green to blue-green, and the flowers 'spike-like inflorescences' each contain masses of small, yellowy-white florets. Fruits mature in contorted and curved pods, often intertwined and initially green in colour, before developing red and brown spots. The thorns of the ana tree grow in pairs, are straight, pale-coloured, and are up to 2cm long. Wood of the ana tree is only used as firewood, infusions of the bark are used medicinally and the pods are highly regarded as fodder, eaten by a variety of wild animals. These trees are mainly confined to the banks and beds of rivers.