Whitehorn Acacia Tree, Acacia Constricta – 35 Seeds (Refr) Scientific Name: Acacia constricta (Vachellia constricta) Common Name: Whitethorn Acacia Also Called: All-thorn Acacia Mescat Acacia, Mescat False Acacia, Twinthorn Acacia, White Thorn Acacia, White-thorn Acacia (Spanish: Huizache, Vinorama, Chaparro Prieto, Vara Prieta, Gigantillo, Largoncillo, Gidag) Family: Fabaceae or Leguminosae Family Synonyms: (Vachellia constricta) Status: Native Duration: Perennial Size: Up to 12 feet or more, usually less. Growth Form: Tree or large shrub; 3 to 6 mm long paired slender white spines. Leaves: Green, deciduous, alternate, bipinnately compound; 3 to 6 paired leaflets per leaf. Flower Color: Yellow or orange-yellow; dense globose heads; fruit a long straight pod (legume), fruit pod woody or papery, compressed between seeds. Flowering Season: May to August Elevation: 2,500 to 5,000 feet. Habitat Preferences: Dry slopes, washes, flat desert areas and mesas, often in shallow caliche soil; mid- to high-elevations. Recorded Range: Whitethorn Acacia is native to the southwest border states of AZ, NM and TX although it has since become naturalized in MD and VA. It also is native to Baja California and central and northern Mexico. In Arizona it occurs in the southern half and north central parts of the state. Native Distribution and HabitatThe whitethorn acacia grows naturally in southern Arizona, southern New Mexico, western Texas and northern to central Mexico, inhabiting streamside, floodplains, intermittent drainage, rocky hillsides and mesas at elevations ranging from 2,000 to 6,000 feet. RegenerationThe whitethorn acacia sprouts from seeds, but it can sprout from its root crown should its trunks and branches be damaged or killed, for example, by wildfire.Pollination and Seed Production: The plant receives pollination by bees and other insects, which often visit the short-lived blooms only on the first day they open. Absent sufficient insect interest, the plant can self-pollinate, but its yield of beans will likely be significantly reduced.Seed Dispersal and Germination: The whitethorn acacia’s seeds are distributed primarily by birds, particularly quail, and by mammals, particularly rodents. Seeds which have had their coatings removed in passing through birds’ or mammals’ digestive tracts germinate more readily. Some seeds are cached by the rodents below the soil surface, protected from wildfire.Seed Establishment: Seeds buried a half inch to an inch below the soil surface have the highest likelihood of becoming established seedlings, especially as they germinate during warm temperatures with some moisture. Seeds on the surface may germinate, but they seldom make viable seedlings.Maturation: With its growth regulated by the availability of moisture, the whitethorn acacia typically matures slowly in its desert environment. Once established, it may live for seven decades or more.