VALUE AND USE
SPECIES: Acacia constricta | Whitethorn Acacia 



WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE : 
Whitethorn acacia is probably used occasionally for firewood.


IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE : 
Livestock:  Whitethorn acacia is poor forage for livestock.  It is
browsed only occasionally in the early spring when the twigs are green,
but is otherwise seldom eaten [14].  Cattle eat small amounts of the
fruit [14,36].

Wildlife:  Mule deer eat small amounts of whitethorn acacia leaves,
twigs and fruit [29,31].  Jackrabbits regularly eat the leaves, bark,
and twigs [10,37].  White-throated woodrats eat the flowers and leaves
[10].  Whitethorn acacia seeds are important in the diets of numerous
bird species, especially quail and white-winged doves [20,36].  Several
species of desert rodents eat the seeds [21,27].


PALATABILITY : 
The palatability of whitethorn acacia for livestock is poor [14,32].
Palatability of pods is unclear.  Humphrey [14] states that the pods are
the most palatable part of the plant and furnish fair forage when green.
Vines [36] states, however, that cattle eat the unpalatable legumes when
nothing else is available.


NUTRITIONAL VALUE : 
Nutritional information concerning whitethorn acacia is lacking.  The
seeds and pods of other Acacias are high in protein [5].  


COVER VALUE : 
Whitethorn acacia presumably provides cover for birds and small to
medium sized mammals.  Some songbirds probably nest within the branches
and quail may use the plants for roosting sites [35,36].  Plants provide
shade for domestic and wild animals.


VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES : 
Whitethorn acacia is drought tolerant and may be used for soil
stabilization [32].  Near Tucson, Arizona, seedlings transplanted either
directly onto copper mine tailings or onto overburden exhibited poor to
moderate survival [24].

Seed is not commercially available but may be obtained by harvesting
native plants [32].  Seed collection methods have been detailed [39].


OTHER USES AND VALUES : 
Whitethorn acacia flowers provide an important source of nectar for
honey bees [25].  Native peoples ground the beans into a flour to make
mush, breads and cakes [36].


MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
Whitethorn acacia is an invader of semidesert grasslands and has
increased in density on grazing lands.  It is considered a range pest
because it reduces forage for livestock and makes moving and handling
cattle more difficult.  Numerous herbicides have been used for brush
control in the Southwest.  In general, whitethorn acacia is susceptible
to aerial applications of phenoxy herbicides [30] and tebuthiuron
pellets [4,13].  Mortality from mechanical brush control measures varies
[22].

Related categories for Species: Acacia constricta | Whitethorn Acacia