Acacia erioloba

RHS Plant Profile
camel thorn

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camel thorn visionspictures.com

Other common names

camel thorn

Synonyms

Acacia giraffae

Plants for pollinators
Shrubs Trees

A hardy, slow-growing tree, native to arid regions of southern Africa with deep taproots, grey-green foliage, and sharp, paired thorns. Fragrant, yellow puffball flowers are produced with nutritious pods, providing vital shade and food for wildlife. Drought-resistant

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Loam, Sand

Max Height

8-12 metres

Max Spread

4-8 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
10–20 years
Max Spread
4-8 metres
Max Height
8-12 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam Sand
Moisture
Well–drained
pH
Acid or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
East–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H4
Drought Resistance
Yes

Colour & Scent

Fragrance Flower
Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Fabaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Evergreen
Habit
Columnar upright
Genus
Acacia can be deciduous or evergreen trees, shrubs or climbers, with alternate, pinnately divided leaves or simple modified leaf-like stalks (phyllodes), and tiny, sometimes fragrant, flowers in short spikes, or in racemes or spikes of spherical heads
Name Status
Correct

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in full sun in very well-drained, sandy soil and avoid overwatering. Tolerates drought, high summer temperatures, and frost

Propagation

Propagate by seed or semi-hardwood cuttings. The seeds need treatment to weaken the protective waterproof seed coat. Put into boiling water and then leave to soak for a couple of days until the seed swells. Alternatively. lightly sandpaper the seed before soaking. Sow in a well-composted, sandy seedling mixture, and keep in a warm and moist position. Seeds usually take four to six weeks to germinate. Semi-hardwood cuttings are less used. Trees start to flower when about 10 years old

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Architectural
  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Mediterranean climate plants
  • Wildlife gardens
  • Wall side borders

Pruning

pruning group 8 or pruning group 13 for wall-trained specimens

Pests

May be susceptible to glasshouse red spider mite, fluted scale and mealybugs

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus