There are two types of plants called acacia. They belong to different species and look completely different. The first is robinia, or white acacia. It is a tree, reaching 25 m in height, and up to 1 m in diameter. It blooms in May, after which flat pods with gray or black beans are formed inside.
Due to its origin, it can also be called "southern acacia." Flowers, bark of young shoots and plant leaves are widely used for medicinal purposes. However, when consumed in large quantities, serious poisoning can be obtained, since it is poisonous.
The second type of plant is a tree-like caragana, or yellow acacia. It is a shrub that grows from 2 to 7 meters in height. Often the plant is used as a hedge.
Yellow acacia is unpretentious, wind-resistant, winter-hardy and grows well in the shade. The quality of the soil also does not play a special role; it feels equally comfortable in dry or wet ground. It is often used for landscaping cities.
During dry summers, acacia yellow may lose some of its leaves. This reduces the amount of moisture evaporated, and the plant easily tolerates very hot weather.
The shrub belongs to
the legume family. It can accumulate nitrogen in the soil. The leaves reach a length of 8 cm and have from 4 to 8 paired leaflets of oblong or oval shape with a tip at the end.
Yellow acacia blossom begins in late May or early June, and flowering continues for 2-2.5 weeks. In the northern zone, this process can stretch for 3 weeks. Yellow flowers look like a butterfly. They can grow one at a time or be bundled in 3-5 pieces.
After flowering ends, fruits begin to form. They appear only in the 4 year life of the plant and have a length of 5-6 cm. Each bean contains up to 8 small seeds that ripen in July. Next, the sash opens and twists. So the seeds fall into the soil, and thanks to the small size, the wind is able to carry them over a long distance.
Yellow acacia breeds in shifts and grows quite quickly. It is necessary to harvest them in advance, tearing still unripe pods when the leaves begin to change color and become hard.
The following year, in early spring, the seeds are soaked in water for several hours, and then sown in prepared soil. Yellow acacia grows very wide. Therefore, when used in decorative gardening, it is pruned 1-2 times a year. Acacia tolerates the stopping of roots and branches well. She can live up to 70 years.
Also, the bush is very popular for breeding in the apiary. He is a wonderful honey plant. Beekeepers are very fond of this plant. Acacia honey is of good quality and has a light yellow color.
Flowering shoots, bark and leaves of the plant have been used for medicinal purposes. Use them in the form of infusions and decoctions, which are taken orally or added to the fees for the bath. They perfectly help with respiratory diseases, atherosclerosis, heartburn, headache, liver diseases, and also accelerate metabolism. Unlike white, acacia yellow is not poisonous.