When I Identified Acacia

When I Identified Acacia

It gave me immense excitement

@Seema

In front of my daughter’s new school, there are two types of trees. One is paperbark tree, from Myrtaceae family. But the other one was unfamiliar. I kept thinking of it’s identity, but I could not place it.

Today, as we stood under the shade of that tree, I was telling my little son, who shares my love for plant identification, that although I know so much about plants, I couldn’t identify this one. It’s a sad thing. Not many these days are inclined towards plants, to help me.

Then, all of a sudden, I said, “Wait a minute, it’s Acacia!” Sometimes our subconscious mind helps us answer. I had seen other species of Acacia before with slender leaves and curly pods.

This particular one is Acacia stenophylla, commonly called the shoestring acacia. It is an evergreen tree from Fabaceae family, native to Australia. It is very drought-tolerant, and thrives in hot areas like California.

@Seema

It’s pods are chain-like, but broken into pieces when when fallen on the ground. Sometimes, they are used in baked goods.

@Seema

It felt so good to finally know the identity of a tree I had been struggling to recognize. I am sure a phytophile and dendrophile, a plant lover.

Do you feel as excited as I do about recognizing a plant? I don’t think many will feel that ecstasy. Otherwise, my plant publication on Medium wouldn’t still have only three members after more than two years.

Anyway, that’s their loss. Loving and learning about components of nature only makes you feel calm, and more connected.

Love plants.

“We are losing the feeling for trees, and so we are losing love for humanity. When we cannot love nature, we cannot love humanity. Our gods have become small and petty, as is our love. In mediocrity we have our being, but there are the trees, the open heavens and the inexhaustible riches of the earth.⁠” ~ J. Krishnamurti

Thank you for reading. Some other odes to plants I have written:

[embed]Elegy For the Passion Flower Plant Nothing remains permanentmedium.com

[embed]Old Sycamore Thank you for being theremedium.com

[embed]Jacaranda Tree In summer, they turn the landscape into a purple heavenmedium.com