Vachellia Nilotica

(Previously Acacia Nilotica)
Family: Fabaceae, Leguminosae – Mimosaceae
ENG: Gum Arabic Tree /Egyptian Acacia
KWS: Mgunga
GIR: Muoti

Tree 5 to 20M. Self seeded.
This is the ancient Egyptian tree of life and the Acacia is derived from Greek.

Flowers are visited by bees and butterflies. Bush babies eat the gum. I wake up to a cacaphony of birds sitting in the tree. The leaves are larval host to azanus species of butterly.

The roots and stem bark are uses as medicines for coughs

Available – Kivukoni Indigenous Tree Nursery.

Valchellia may be host to the below butterflies (refer Valchellia Butterflies):

• Azanus jesous – African Babul Blue
• Eicochrysops hippocrates- White Tipped Blue
• Chloroselas pseudozeritis -Brilliant Gem
• Anthene amarah – Leaden Ciliate Blue
• Anthene otacilia – Kikuyu Ciliate Blue
• Aphnaeus zanzibarensis – East African Silver Spot
• Charaxes zooline – Club-tailed Charaxes
• Axiocerses punicea – Rainforest Scarlet
• Axiocerses harpax – Common Scarlet