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Senegalia mellifera
Also called Kaoko Black Thorn, Wait A Bit Bush, Hookthorn
Senegalia mellifera is a thorny shrub or small tree from dry parts of Africa and Arabia, valued for honey and wood. It is not a common garden plant, and it can become invasive where it spreads over farmland.
Senegalia mellifera is a common thorn tree in Africa. The name mellifera refers to its sweet-smelling blossoms and honey. Its lumber turns pitch black when oiled. Common names of the tree include Blackthorn and Swarthaak (Afrikaans). It is listed as being not threatened.
Senegalia mellifera is found in the dry areas of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
In Africa, Senegalia mellifera is used as fencing, livestock feed and building material for huts. It flowers are sources of nectar for honey-producing bees. The wood is prized also for fuel and making charcoal. It is widely used in traditional African medicine.
Senegalia pennata · Berlandier Acacia · Black cutch · Catclaw Acacia · Senegalia laeta · Senegalia megaladena · Falcon's Claw Acacia · White Thorn · Soap Pod · Gum Arabic
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Senegalia mellifera by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
