Acacia erioloba 15 seeds "Camelthorn"

The beautiful, slow-growing camel thorn grows well in poor soils and in harsh environmental conditions. It is an ideal shrub/tree for a small or large garden.

The camel thorn ranges from a 2 m spiny shrub to a 16 m robust tree. The stem is shiny reddish brown when young. The bark of a mature tree is grey to blackish brown and is deeply furrowed; bearing pairs of almost straight, whitish or brown spines. Spines often have swollen bases and appear at the bases of the leaves. The fully developed spines may be up to 60 mm long.

The tree bears bright yellow ball-like flowers that are sweetly scented. They are borne in late winter and last through to summer.

Acacia erioloba can be propagated easily by seeds. The seeds generally need some treatment to weaken the protective waterproof seed coat. They can be put into boiling water and then left to soak for a couple of days until the seed swells. Alternatively the glossy coating can be lightly sanded before soaking. Seeds may then be sown in a well-composted, sandy seedling mixture, and kept in a warm and moist positon. Seeds usually take four to six weeks to germinate. It is also possible to propagate it with semi-hardwood cuttings, but this is not a commonly used method. Trees start to flower when about 10 years old.