How to germinate Acacia africana seeds

If you have seen a documentary about felines or the African continent, it is very possible that the tree where these animals protect themselves from the sun has caught your attention. In the savannah there are not many tree species, and the few that exist have great difficulty in getting to measure enough to provide shade, since their leaves serve as food for giraffes and elephants. However, the African acacia she is a survivor.

Thanks to its thorny weaponry, it has a good chance of becoming a magnificent specimen. But, Is it possible to germinate Acacia africana seeds far from Africa?

Key features

La Acacia totilisScientifically called, it is a deciduous tree that can measure up to 14m. The cup is parasolated, supported on a more or less straight trunk that measures up to 1m in diameter. Its leaves are bipinnate, light green in color, and sprout from branches protected by long thorns up to 10cm long.

The flowers appear at the end of the summer, grouped in inflorescences of globose type, of yellow color. In autumn the seeds, which are more or less oval and dark brown-black, will finish maturing. But we will have to wait for spring to sow them, except if we live in a tropical climate, since it does not resist the cold (only up to -2ºC).

How to germinate Acacia africana seeds

Once the seeds have been obtained, which can be obtained in any online store, they must be sown as follows:

1. The first thing to do is put them in a glass with boiling water for 1 second, and 24 hours in a glass with water at room temperature. To do this, I recommend you put them in a colander, and this one in the first glass; This way it will be much easier for you to remove them and you will prevent them from burning.
2. The next day, we proceed to fill in the seedbed, which can be from a pot to a seedling tray, using a very porous substrate. You can mix black peat with perlite in equal parts.
3. Afterwards, a maximum of two seeds are placed in each one, and are covered with a little substrate, enough so that the wind cannot carry them away.
4. And finally, it is watered and placed in a place where it is exposed to sunlight directly.

The seeds will germinate very soon if the temperatures are high (20-30ºC): in just one week, two at most, if the substrate is kept slightly damp.

When they are 5cm high, you can transfer them to individual pots, or to the garden if you live in a warm climate.

Enjoy your Acacia 🙂.