Acacia caffra - Common hook-thorn, Cat thorn(English); geelhaakdoring, Katdoring (Afrikaans)
 

This beautiful tree is the most common naturally occurring acacia in the Witwatersrand National Botanical Garden. It may reach up to 14m and has an irregular, spreading crown. In some habitats it remains as a shrub. One of the most attractive features of the tree is the foliage which is bright green and feathery looking. The leaves are drooping which gives the canopy a lovely soft look.

The name Acacia is derived from "akis " meaning a point or barb and caffra was a epiphet frequently bestowed on plants from the eastern parts of South Africa in previous centuries. The word caffra in Hebrew means "person living on the land".

 
  • The Acacia caffra occurs naturally in a wide variety of habitats from coastal scrub to bushveld and highveld grasslands. The distribution appears to be slightly patchy with the species occurring in the four northern provinces; the coastal areas of Kwazulu Natal and the Eastern Cape and in some areas of the Western Cape. Another interesting feature of the tree is its tolerance of low soil pH which occurs where the soils are sandy and the rainfall is high. The Acacia caffra is able to withstand fire, which is important in areas such as grasslands and savannas where fire forms an integral part of the ecology.