Vachellia erioloba (Acacia erioloba)Camel Thorn

The Vachellia erioloba, commonly known as the Camel Thorn and listed as Acacia erioloba in Gulf tender documents, is the great tree of the Kalahari: a heavy, dark-barked thorn tree with a rounded to spreading crown of blue-green bipinnate foliage. Paired white spines, golden ball flowers and thick grey velvety ear-shaped pods complete an unmistakable silhouette.

It roots exceptionally deeply and is one of the most drought-enduring trees on record, holding a full crown through years that empty the topsoil. It is slow, long-lived and specified where a scheme needs a permanent structural tree rather than quick cover.

Specifications

• Height8 to 16 metres
• Width8 to 12 metres
• Native toSouthern Africa, centred on the Kalahari of Botswana, Namibia and South Africa
• FoliageBlue-green bipinnate leaves with small leaflets, held densely; semi-deciduous, thinning in the driest period
• Growth rateSlow

Conditions

• SoilRequires deep, well-drained sandy soils; the deep taproot needs depth more than fertility and the species dislikes shallow rock and heavy clay
• LightFull sun
• WaterVery low; exceptionally drought-tolerant once the taproot is established, and slow to establish if kept shallowly watered
• ClimateThrives in hot arid and semi-arid regions and tolerates both extreme heat and winter cold

Additional Features

• FormHeavy rounded to spreading crown on a dark, deeply fissured trunk, developing real presence with age
• FlowersBright golden yellow globular flowerheads, lightly scented, in late spring and summer
• FruitThick, grey, velvety ear-shaped pods that persist on the tree and are highly distinctive
• UsesPermanent structural and specimen planting, deep shade over desert park and resort landscapes, deep-sand revegetation
• SpacingPlant 10 to 14 metres apart; the crown and the root system both need room
• Low MaintenanceAlmost nothing is required once established beyond formative pruning in the nursery years
• Pest ResistanceRobust in dry climates, with the usual acacia vulnerability to borers on damaged stems
• Drought ToleranceAmong the most drought-enduring trees documented, sustained by a taproot that reaches deep groundwater
• Wildlife AttractionPods are heavily browsed, flowers carry nectar, and the crown is a favoured nesting structure
• LongevityVery long-lived, with specimens holding structure for well over a century

The Camel Thorn is a hundred-year tree for deep sand, and it should be specified with that timescale in mind.