Catclaw Acacia

Senegalia roemeriana

Fabaceae (Pea Family)

Roemer Acacia, Roemer's Acacia, Roundflower Catclaw, Round-flowered Catclaw, Catclaw

Knight, Marilyn McBroom, https://www.wildflower.org/gallery/result.php?id_image=31258

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

Native Habitat: Grassland

Edwards Plateau, Southern Texas Plains

Maintenance

Drought tolerant shrub that provides an attractive accent despite thorny branches. Good honey plant. Low water, full sun, well drained soil, hardy to 15°. Prune for shape and size.

Comments

Fast growing prickly shrub or small tree. Leaves divided into numerous leaflets 1/2″ long or less. Fruit a brown to reddish. Flat, narrow curved pod up to 4” long. Twigs are armed with short, curved prickles (hence the common name catclaw).

Growth Form

Shrub

Height

15 to

20 ft

Spread

10 to

15 ft

Soil Type(s)

Sand, Clay, Gravelly, Rocky, Limestone

Light Requirement

Sun

Water Requirement

Very Low, Low

Leaf Retention

Deciduous

Lifespan

Perennial

Bloom Color

White, Green

Bloom Season

Spring

Seasonal Interest

Seeds, Nectar

Wildlife Benefit

Butterflies, Birds, Bees

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Previous Scientific Name(s): Synonym/s: Acacia malacophylla, Acacia roemeriana

References

1) Griffith, Bryce, Omernick & Rodgers (2007). Ecoregions of Texas. 2) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=SERO. 3) http://bonap.net/TDC/Image/Map?taxonType=Species&taxonId=11664&locationType=County&mapType=Normal, 4) https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=819959#null, 5) http://museum2.utep.edu/chih/gardens/plants/RtoS/senegaliaroemeriana.htm

Native Plant Society of Texas