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Acacia aneura
| Common name: |
Mulga Acacia |
Family: |
Leguminosae |
| Author: |
F.Muell. ex Benth. |
Botanical references: |
200 |
| Synonyms: |
|
| Known Hazards: |
None known |
| Range: |
Australia - New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia. |
| Habitat: |
Arid areas in all mainland states except Victoria[157, 167]. |
| Edibility Rating (1-5): |
2 | Medicinal Rating (1-5): | 0 |
| Other Possible Synonyms: | From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below. |
| Racosperma aneurum[G]
|
| Other Common Names: | From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below. |
| Mulga Acacia [H], |
| Systematics: | From a USDA Plants Database |
|
Order: Fabales. Renamed to Fabaceae -- Pea family
|
Physical Characteristics
An evergreen tree growing to 15m. It is hardy to zone 9. It is in leaf all year, in flower from March to July. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects.
It can fix Nitrogen.
We rate it 2/5 for edibility and
0/5 for medicinal use.
The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and requires well-drained soil.
The plant prefers acid and neutral soils.
It cannot grow in the shade.
It requires dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.
Habitats and Possible Locations
Woodland, Sunny Edge, By Walls, By South Wall, By West Wall.Edible Uses
Drink
Flowers Gum Manna Seed.
Flowers - cooked[144]. Rich in pollen, they are often used in
fritters[144].
The bark exudes an edible gum[183]. Some species produce a gum that is dark
and is liable to be astringent and distasteful, but others produce a light
gum and this is sweet and pleasant. It can be sucked like candy or soaked in
water to make a jelly[193]. The gum can be warmed when it becomes soft and
chewable[193].
Seed - cooked. It is dried, ground into a flour and used with cereals in
making cakes etc[177, 183]. Acacia seeds are highly nutritious and contain
approx 26% protein, 26% available carbohydrate, 32% fibre and 9% fat[278].
The fat content is higher than most legumes with the aril providing the bulk
of fatty acids present[278]. These fatty acids are largely unsaturated which
is a distinct health advantage although it presents storage problems as such
fats readily oxidise[278]. The mean total carbohydrate content of 55.8 _
13.7% is lower than that of lentils, but higher than that of soybeans while
the mean fibre content of 32.3 _ 14.3% is higher than that of other legumes
such as lentils with a level of 11.7%[278]. The energy content is high in all
species tested, averaging 1480_270 kJ per 100g[278]. Wattle seeds are low
glycaemic index foods. The starch is digested and absorbed very slowly,
producing a small, but sustained rise in blood glucose and so delaying the
onset of exhaustion in prolonged exercise[278].
A sweet red or white 'lerp' that forms on the leaves and branches is
eaten[183]. Lerp is a protective shield secreted from the anus of sap-sucking
insects[193]. The taste is sweet and it was used as a staple food by the
Aborigines in some areas of Australia[193]. It is not clear if the lerp is
eaten when the insects are still present or if it can be eaten after they
have gone[K].
A large succulent gall, known as 'mulga apple' is produced by the tree and
is said to quench the thirst[183].
Medicinal Uses
Disclaimer
None known
Other Uses
Brush
Dye Soil stabilization Wood.
A yellow dye is obtained from the flowers[168].
A green dye is obtained from the seed pods[168].
The extensive root system of this plant helps to prevent soil erosion[200].
The twigs are used to make a dishmop[156].
Wood - turns well, takes a high polish. It is used extensively for ornaments
and fencing[156, 157, 167].
Cultivation details
Prefers a sandy loam and a very sunny position[1]. Succeeds in any good
garden soil that is not excessively limey[11]. Most species become chlorotic
on limey soils[200]. In the wild this species tolerates periodic
inundation[167], though it is also very drought tolerant[245].
Hardy to at least -7c in Australian gardens[157], though this cannot be
translated directly to British gardens due to our cooler summers and longer
colder and wetter winters. Trees are not very hardy outdoors in Britain, even
in the mildest areas of the country they are likely to be killed in
excessively harsh winters[11].
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these
bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this
nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other
plants growing nearby[200].
Propagation
Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a sunny position in a warm
greenhouse[1]. Stored seed should be scarified, pre-soaked for 12 hours in
warm water and then sown in a warm greenhouse in March. The seed germinates
in 3 - 4 weeks at 25° c[133]. As soon as the seedlings are large enough to
handle, prick them out into individual pots and grow them on in a sunny
position in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out in late
spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts, and consider giving
them some protection from the cold for their first winter outdoors.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood with a heel, July/August in individual pots in a
frame[78]. Overwinter in a greenhouse for the first winter and plant out in
their permanent positions in late spring or early summer. Fair
percentage[78].
Suppliers
For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.
Web References
- [H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
- [B] Data
(Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
- [G] Data
(Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
- [FAO] Data
(Description, Habitat, Location and Use) from the FAO's Grassland Index.
- [P] Data.
(uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.
- [HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database
See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.
Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.
[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
[78] Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948
A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.
[133] Rice. G. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 1. Thompson and Morgan. 1987
Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation.
[144] Cribb. A. B. and J. W. Wild Food in Australia. Fontana 1976 ISBN 0-00-634436-4
A very good pocket guide.
[156] Cribb. A. B. and J. W. Useful Wild Plants in Australia. William Collins Pty Ltd. Sidney 1981 ISBN 0-00-216441-8
A very readable book.
[157] Wrigley. J. W. and Fagg. M. Australian Native Plants. Collins. (Australia) 1988 ISBN 0-7322-0021-0
A lovely book, written in order to encourage Australian gardeners to grow their native plants. A little bit of information for the plant project.
[167] Holliday. I. and Hill. R. A Field Guide to Australian Trees. Frederick Muller Ltd. 1974 ISBN 0-85179-627-3
A well illustrated and very readable book, but it does not contain much information for the plant project.
[168] Grae. I. Nature's Colors - Dyes from Plants. MacMillan Publishing Co. New York. 1974 ISBN 0-02-544950-8
A very good and readable book on dyeing.
[177] Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984 ISBN 3874292169
An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
[193] Low. T. Wild Food Plants of Australia. Angus and Robertson. 1989 ISBN 0-207-14383-8
Well presented, clear information and good photographs. An interesting read for the casual reader as well as the enthusiast
[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
[245] Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.
Readers Comments
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Plant information taken from the
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Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
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