Nitrogen Fixing Plants Prarie Acacia or Acacia Angustissima

By Liliana Usvat
Blog 270-365

''Acacia angustissima'' is a perennial, deciduous, shrub or tree in the Fabaceae family native to Central America and the United States. It is also found in South America, India and Pakistan. 

Other common names for it include Carboncillo, Timbe, Timbre, Fern Acacia and Prairie wattle. 

It grows 1m to 4m in height having whitish, 1.3 cm diameter spherical flowers from June through September. ''"Angustissima"'' in Latin means "narrowest," describing the look of the shrub's leaves. 

Good for Reforestation

Altitude: 0-2600m
Annual Temperature Mean: 5-30 deg. C.
Annual Rainfall Mean: 895-2870mm
Soil: ''A. angustissima'' is well-suited for acidic, low-nutrient soils and it has very good resistance to drought.

 The flowers are clustered into 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) wide, fuzzy balls of stamens and will open white and age to a pinkish color. The flowers are followed by flat, elongated, brown seedpods. The leaves are green and bipinnate with tiny leaflets. The stems are hairy, reddish, and spineless. The larger stems are ridged and grooved, unlike the similar, but taller and smooth-stemmed Lysiloma watsonii.

PROPAGATION

Propagation Material: Seeds , Softwood Cuttings 
Description: Propagate by scarified seed or softwood cuttings. 
Seed Collection: Collect in late summer to early fall when seeds are firm, filled out, and dark brown.


Butterfly Plant 

The flowers attract butterflies and other insects like bees.

Chewing Gum

Used as a source of chewing gum or gum flavoring.

Medicinal Plant

 A bitter astringent, sedative herb that improves diegstion

and 

cerebral circulation



Medicinal Uses. Internally for headaches associated with with debility

and 

nervous tension and 
for anxiety, 
neuralgia, 
sinusitis, 
excess upper respiratory tract mucus, 
gastritis, 
poor digestion, 
hypertension and
menopausal problems. 


Excess causes, diarrhoea and vomiting.  Not to be given to pregnant
women. 

Externally for wounds (especially if infected),
 bruises, 
ulcers, 
sore throat, and 
gum inflammation.

Combines well with Scutellaria laterifolia, Verbena officinalis,
Lavandula angustifolia or Hypericum perforatum

 for tension headaches

(although I suspect to much of any of these combinations may be TOO
MUCH)

"action: 

astringent, 
carminative, 
diuretic, 
expectorant, 
nervine, 
tonic,
vulnerary"
"body: bladder, 
kidney, 
spleen, 
stomach"


"used to treat: 

asthma, 
bladder ailments, 
bronchitis, 
cancer, 
cough,
cuts, 
excessive sweating, 
external ulcers, 
heartburn, 

kidney ailments,
neurasthenia, 
sore, 
spitting blood, 
sprains, 
varicose veins,
wen, 
worms"

use: tea
"The infusion is used for neurasthenia, bladder and kidney ailments,
spitting blood, and excessive sweating; 

regular use is recommended for

varicose veins. 
A strong decoction is used against worms. 
The juice of the plant can be used to heal cuts, external "