Vachellia xanthophloea (Acacia xanthophloea)Fever Tree

The Vachellia xanthophloea, commonly known as the Fever Tree and listed in tender documents as Acacia xanthophloea, is an upright African thorn tree instantly recognised by its smooth, powdery, greenish yellow bark. It carries a high, flat to slightly rounded crown of fine bipinnate foliage, paired white spines, and scented golden flowerheads in spring.

Unlike most dryland acacias it comes from seasonally wet ground along rivers and floodplains, so it accepts far more water than its relatives while still tolerating heat and alkaline soil. Designers specify it as a lit feature tree, precisely because the bark is the point.

Specifications

• Height12 to 20 metres
• Width8 to 12 metres
• Native toEastern and southern Africa, from Kenya and Tanzania south to Zimbabwe, Mozambique and north eastern South Africa
• FoliageFine, feathery bipinnate leaves in fresh green; deciduous, shed in the cool or dry season
• Growth rateFast

Conditions

• SoilPrefers deep alluvial or sandy soils with reliable moisture; tolerates seasonally wet ground and alkaline conditions better than most acacias
• LightFull sun
• WaterModerate; unlike most dryland acacias it performs best where groundwater or irrigation is reliable, and is only moderately drought-tolerant
• ClimateThrives in warm subtropical and tropical regions and tolerates high summer heat; frost-sensitive when young

Additional Features

• FormStraight, clean trunk with a high spreading crown that suits underplanting and uplighting
• BarkSmooth, powdery, greenish yellow bark that photographs and lights unusually well, and is the reason the species is specified
• FlowersScented golden yellow globular flowerheads in dense clusters through spring
• UsesFeature and specimen planting, lit avenues, high canopy shade over paths and seating, water feature and lake edge planting
• SpacingPlant 8 to 12 metres apart as an avenue, or singly where the bark is to be seen in the round
• Low MaintenanceRequires only formative pruning to a clear stem; the bark should not be pressure cleaned or strimmer damaged
• Pest ResistanceGenerally robust, with the usual acacia susceptibility to borers on stressed or damaged stems
• Wildlife AttractionFlowers are a strong nectar source and the canopy is used heavily for nesting

The Fever Tree is a specimen tree bought for its bark, and it rewards a site with enough moisture to let it grow away fast and clean.