seeds of Acacia confusa, Formosa acacia

Acacia confusa, commonly called Formosa acacia, is a tree species that belongs to family Fabaceae. The tree’s synonyms include Acacia richii auct. non and Racosperma confusum. Other common names for the tree include acacia petit feuille, small Philippine acacia and Formosa coa. Acacia confusa is native to Northern Philippines and Taiwan and has a global distribution that is mostly concentrated in tropical Pacific areas. An example is Hawaii where Acacia confusa is notorious for its invasiveness. Acacia confusa can achieve a height of 15 metres and a trunk diameter of 1 metre. The leaves are bipinnate, and the flowers are yellow, small, and have a diameter of 6 to 8 mm. Pods are flat, slightly curved, brown-coloured, and have a length of 5 to10 cm. One can derive some usefulness from the bark of the tree by grinding it to form a white powder. Such a powder serves as an ideal spice to various foods or as a suitable primary ingredient for making tea. The mining companies of Taiwan use the wood from Acacia confusa as support beams in the mines. Alternative uses for wood in Taiwan include the making of flooring material and charcoal for domestic use. The Taiwanese people consider Acacia confusa a source of herbal remedies and actively source them from it. There is, however, no scientific proof that the remedies have any effect. The tree is a source of tannins and wood that’s used to make furniture. Acacia confusa can also serve effectively as an ornamental plant when it’s not providing oil and tannins. One can cultivate Acacia confusa both from cuttings and seeds. Fire can serve as a useful stimulator of seed germination. The tree is a hardy, fast grower and prefers acidic, well-drained soils. Acacia confusa can grow at an altitude of 800 metres and survive temperature drops up to 0˚C.