Acacia greggii

Identification

Description

Cat Claw is a small tree or deciduous shrub, with yellow 2" spikes of flowers. A sunny desert plant that is an effective border patrol. Thorns grab and won't let go. It has survived here in containers to 0 deg or less. It will drown in winter rains if they are more than 15 inches and planted in clay soil. Keep the organic matter low or will root rot. Having said that, it's been really easy here, requiring no water or care for twenty years. This tree has impressed me with its adaptability and hardiness. Nice looking under cultivation Jaeger writes that the desert tribes ate the seeds and chewed the gum from the bark. Small birds nest in the canopy and rabbits live under the tree. (Phainopeplas use the seed and the tree.) This tree tolerates the interior alkaline soils well, but is doing fine in our pH 6.5 soil. Associated plants include Keckiella ternatus, Keckiella antirrhinoides var. microphylla, Arctostaphylos otayensis, Prunus fremontii, Quercus agrifolia into Justicia californica (Beloperone), Hyptis emoryi, and cactus species. Wide ranging in the deserts. "This is probably the most heartily disliked plant in the state[Arizona], the sharp, strong prickles tearing the clothes and lacerating the flesh."(Kearney and Peebles) . Maybe that's why I like it.

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