Wednesday, August 8, 2018

Today at Como: Camel Thorn Tree - "Acacia erioloba"

Beautiful sunny day today with zero chance of rain. On my walk past the outdoor flamingo exhibit, occupied by a diversity of beautiful birds, I note many family groups walking around outside. Inside the Conservatory, however, as a testament to the attraction of most humans to sunshine, only a few souls can be seen. While cheery to have bright sunshine, the greenhouse heating effect in the Conservatory can mute that happy cheeriness. Perhaps the heat build-up in the Conservatory is sending some folks outside.
 
Sunken Garden
The Sunken Garden is looking particularly beautiful!

Inside the North Garden, many of the usual fruits can be seen on the long term greenery residents: star fruit, jack fruit, papaya, limes, oranges, guava, noni, Barbados cherry, cacao and others. I'm pleased to see some new plants that the staff have added, for example "Homalomena Emerald Gerr" and "Aji Chirel."

The Plant of the Day located in the North Garden is the Camel Thorn tree - "Acacia erioloba", and is also known as "Acacia giraffae" or Giraffe Thorn. This tree is a well known species in the Kalahari plains of such countries as Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. They grow as tall as 18 meters tall and have a large spreading canopy that produces food for animals, shade and animal shelter. 
Camel Thorn Tree - Note the thorns that
animals have to eat around.

In addition to benefiting wildlife, this tree provides useful and economic resources to people. For example, the dark, hard, insect-resistant wood is used for lumber, and is considered excellent for fuel and cooking purposes.

Abundant, nutritious pods develop from pollinated flowers and are sometimes used by local people to make hot coffee-like drinks, porridge, or to use as highly nutritional fodder for cattle.

Parts of the camel thorn tree have been used medicinely to treat diarrhea, coughs, colds, tuberculosis and nose-bleeds.

Camel thorn has protected status in South Africa.

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