Acacia berlandieri
Family: Fabaceae
Plant Description: This is a small to medium sized shrub to 10 feet tall with multiple basal stems flaring outward to form a rounded crown. It frequently forms dense, thickets and has small, inconspicuous, slightly recurved to straight thorns. It has narrow delicate, fernlike, bipinnated leaves with 30-50 leaflets per leaf. Flower heads 1-2 cm wide, white to creamy.
Plant Trivia: Often associated with blackbrush, tasajillo, cenizo and prickly pear.
Field Identification: Delicate fern-like bipinnate leaf structure; large, dark seedpod split open and fixed to stem appearing winglike.
Occurrence: Common on caliche ridges and occasionally in brushy pastures on sandy loam or clay.
Bloom Period: February – December
Plant Use: Browsed by white-tailed deer, cattle, sheep, and goats. Seeds are consumed by feral hogs and scaled quail. Small mammals utilize the thickets for cover and protection. Nectar makes excellent honey and wood has been used for fuel, tool handles and small wooden articles. Used as ornamental.
Key to Genera if needed:
stxflora 