Accession Count: 0
Common Name:
espinillo
Family Name:
Fabaceae
Botanical Name:
Vachellia caven
Sub Species:
Variety:
Forma:
Cultivar:
Characteristics:
The Vachellia caven is an evergreen, spiny shrub or small tree with a sparse, wide, round crown. This tree can grow up to 23 feet tall and have a bole of about 1 inch in diameter (1). It has compound, bipennial, opposite, leaflets, that are bright green and very small leafs on the leaflets. They produce bright yellow fragrant ball shaped flowers. The flowers are followed by hard, black fruit pods (2).
Compound:
Vac cav
Geographic Origin:
South America
Ecozone Origin:
Neotropic
Biome Origin:
Natural History:
The Vachellia caven originates in South America and from there has been greatly distributed. This plant can be found in Asia : India, and Uttar Pradesh, Africa: Cape Verde, South America: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Mato Grosso do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay, Europe: Spain, and Oceania: New Zealand (3).
Cultivation Notes:
The espinillo can grow to be a small shrub or tree. To grow this tree from seed make sure you scarify the seeds chemically or mechanically or it will take a while to germinate. After germination this plant grows quickly, growing to about six and half feet by the end of the second year. It is not demanding in soil or water and can withstand freezing spells but is tender. This plant prefers full sunlight and and thrives arid arid conditions (4).
Ethnobotany:
This specimen is good for charcoal, and firewood. Sense the wood is resistance to rotting the locals use it for fences as the posts. In the past was used in manufacturing leather for its tanning agent. Another past use was perfume for it's unique scent. The seeds are roasted and used as a coffee replacement. An medically cooking the bark and superficially applying the bark to soars can heal or relive symptoms (4).
Height:
20 - 50 feet
Width:
11 - 15 feet
Growth Rate:
Fast Growing
Grow Season:
Summer
Flower Season:
Spring
Color:
Yellow
Function:
Accent
Spread:
Non-spreading
Allergen:
Non-allergenic
Invasive:
Benign
Toxicity:
Benign
Hardy:
Semi-hardy
Water Use:
Low water Use
