seeds of Acacia concinna

Acacia concinna, also called shikakai in India, is a plant species that belongs to the genus Acacia and the family Fabaceae. The plant’s synonyms include Acacia hooperlana, Acacia poilanei, and Acacia polycephala. Acacia concinna is native to the Asian continent and widespread in Central and Southern India. Acacia concinna is a thorny climbing plant with a grey bark. The plant’s leaves have a length of 4 to 10 mm. Flowers are either white or cream when fully formed and either red or purple when they’re still buds. The flowers bear thick, flat pods that are 5 cm long and have 7 pods each. Acacia concinna flowers all year round. Acacia concinna has historically been used in Indian traditional medicinal practices (Ayurveda) to make shampoo. One can make the shampoo by drying the leaves, grinding them into a powder and then using the powder to make a paste. While the paste doesn’t produce as much lather as regular shampoo, it adequately cleans hair. Ayurveda also maintains that Acacia concinna contains a cure for jaundice. The leaves and seeds are edible, and one can incorporate them into a variety of recipes that require vegetables. The slightly acidic taste present in the leaves makes them an ideal additive in the making of chutney. The leaves’ sour taste can also be of use in soups, coconut milk, and fish. Young shoots are also edible and have the same effect as the leaves. The seeds and pods are prepared through roasting until they are ready to be eaten. In addition to the plant’s bark being a source of tannins, its pods contain saponins which provide a widely used detergent in India. The plant can grow from seeds but the germination period may more time than one has to spare. Scarification of the seeds will speed things up.