Fabaceae-Mimosaceae
Vachellia bussei
Busse's acacia
T
Not currently in the nursery
We can propagate most native species on request — get in touch to discuss timeline and quantity.
About
This flat-crowned shrub or tree typically grows 3-10 metres tall, occasionally reaching 16 metres, and features rough, brown-black bark. It is armed with straight, grey thorns up to 9 cm long and produces creamy flowers in spherical heads, followed by brown, oblong pods that contain small, flat seeds.
Where it works in Kilifi
Thriving in dry Acacia-Commiphora bushland on sandy soils, this tree is well-suited for dryland restoration, as a specimen, or for providing shade in Kilifi's coastal gardens. It is drought-tolerant and improves soil fertility through nitrogen fixation.
Growing notes
Seeds require scarification for optimal germination, typically by a hot water treatment followed by soaking. Once established, this species is drought-tolerant, but its foliage can develop toxic levels of hydrogen cyanide during drought, posing a risk to grazing animals.
Sources
Researched with web grounding from: theferns.info, worldagroforestry.org, wikipedia.org, kew.org, nih.gov. Please verify with local knowledge before relying on these notes.