Dichrostachys cinerea ssp. africana

Common Name: aroma

Family: Fabaceae

Common Synonyms: Dichrostachys cinerea

USDA Hardiness Zone: 8a - 11

Growth Habit: Tree

Origin: Africa

FISC Category: -

FDACS Listed Noxious Weed: No

Introduction Date: specimen vouchered in 1929

IFAS Assessment:

• North: INVASIVE
• Central: INVASIVE
• South: INVASIVE

Description

Semi-deciduous tree to 7 m tall. Bark brown except on new branches where it is green and hairy. Alternate spines up to 8 cm long, recurved. Leaves bipinnate, dark green above, pale below, leaflets and stalks hairy. Flowers in a pink hanging spike of dense flowers (bottlebrush-like). Fruit a narrow pod, yellow to brown, twisted, 10 cm long with 4 black seeds.

Habitat

Hydric hammock

Comments

Vouchered in several counties from Monroe north to Dade, Palm Beach, and Polk. Grows in dense thickets via root suckering. Not tolerant of frost or waterlogging. Vouchered in several counties from Monroe north to Dade, Palm Beach, and Polk. Grows in dense thickets via root suckering. Not tolerant of frost or waterlogging.

Control Methods

• Manual: NA
• Chemical: NA
• Biological: NA

Control Notes

No specific recommendations available.

References

Dave's Garden. 2013. PlantFiles: Sickle bush, princess earrings, Kalahari Christmas tree, Marabou thorn, Dichrostachys cinerea. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/89130/. Accessed on December 3, 2013.

World Agroforestry Center. 2013. Dichrostachys cinerea. http://www.worldagroforestry.org/treedb2/speciesprofile.php?Spid=675. Accessed on December 9, 2013.