My initial photos were inadequate so I've updated here. Try these.... I originally thought this tree was of the Acacia family but can't locate the specific type. It is thorny, with bottle-brush flowers, and has large seed pods which produce hard woody seeds. The flowers are extremely aromatic. Can anyone tell me what this is specifically? Located in the southwest USA (Arizona). P.S. - sorry, Oscar for the photo mix-up. After all, I'm just a "seedling"!
I've exhausted what resources are available to me re: locally native species. Every lead I ran down came to a dead end. Was hoping UBC forum could help. From my research, it appears to possibly be a hybrid. Can't locate an Acacia species with elongated (bottle-brush) flowers - everything has the typical ROUND flower but all other characteristics seem identical to the Acacia (ie thorns, leaf pattern, pea pods, crown size, shape, etc). I did read that breeding different trees in close proximity can cause hybrids but there are at least 15 or more of these identical trees within several hundred acres, so it isn't a isolated incident. Thank you in advance for any suggestions.
It looks like a Black Ebony, common in the Rio Grand Valley in SOUTH.SOUTH Texas. Let the bean torn black(and hard as cast iron) then pop it open with a hammer to take out the seeds to plant to get more. The major problems: If you are a kid, you can't climb it because of the thorns, you can't walk under it bare footed --same reason. Positive: The leaves fall perpetually, BUT, raked up make about the best mulch for a garden available anywhere. Enjoy! (It is the heart wood of this tree that provides anything that you have seen made of Ebony)
Thanks Chuck. It was identified as an Ebony a few months back, but I appreciate the reply. The short duration that the tree blooms those aromatic flowers makes it worth the trouble cleaning and trimming. The seeds propagated quickly - have a seedling about 6" tall already.
