Vachellia karroo

Sweet thorn
Soetdoring
Mookana
Mooka
UmuNga

This tree was known for many years as Acacia karroo. It is widespread throughout southern Africa.

It is a shrub or small to medium-sized tree which grows to height of 12m where there is good water. It is a tree of open woodland and wooded grassland, but can grow in very dry conditions.
The tree is easily recognised by its distinctive long white paired thorns and coffee coloured bark. The leaves are finely textured and dark green. The bark is red on young branches, darkening and becoming rough with age. Sometimes an attractive reddish colour can be seen in the deep bark fissures. The abundant yellow flowers appear in early summer, or after good rains. The seed pods are narrow, flat and crescent shaped. The flowers appear in early summer in a mass of yellow pompons. Small birds like to build their nests in the densely thorny branches, as the thorns offer excellent protection from predators.Many insects visit and pollinate these flowers. The seed pods are flat and crescent shaped.

V. karroo is used for chemical products, domestic uses, environmental management, fibre, food and wood. Sweet thorn gets its common name from the gum which is exuded from wounds in the bark. This pleasant tasting gum is eaten by people and animals. The gum the V. karroo was exported as a confectionary in the past as “Cape Gum”. The gum is similar to gum Arabic. The bark contains tannin which is used to tan leather to a reddish colour. The hard wood is an excellent firewood and charcoal, and is also used for fencing posts. A tough rope can be made from the inner bark of the tree. The gum, bark and leaves have been used in cold remedies as well as to help eye and wound infections.
The tree is as forage and fodder for domestic and wild animals.