Senegalia roemeriana
Roundflower Acacia
Family: Fabaceae
Large shrub or small tree growing about 15’ tall x 20’ wide. Another of the catclaw acacias, Roemer’s acacia grows about the same height. It has a rounded flower, instead of the caterpillar-shaped one that our Tucson basin catclaw has. The new growth almost has a reddish tint.
Grow in full to part sun, low water. Hardy to 15°F.
The flowers are extra nectar-rich and attract a load of butterflies, bees, and more. Butterfly larval food plant for the Mexican yellow (Eurema mexicana), the Mimosa Yellow butterfly (Eurema nise), the Reakirt’s blue (Echinargus isola), and the marine blue (Leptotes marina). Moth larval food plant for Hubbard’s small silkmoth (Sphingicampa hubbardi), Tricolor buckmoth (Hemileuca tricolor), Black witch moth (Ascalapha odorata), Owlet moths (family Noctuidae), Mesquite stinger flannel moth (Norape tenera), Naval orange worm moth (Amyelois transitella), and the Merry melipotis moth (Melipotis jucunda).
Formerly known as Acacia roemeriana. Acacia is from Greek akakie taken from ake or akis, -a sharp point. The genus Senegalia is a derivation of Senegal in Africa. There are 226 species of Senegalia. Senegalia can be distinguished from other acacias by its spicate inflorescences and non-spinescent stipules. Plants in the genus are native to the tropical and subtropical areas of the world, occurring on the Australian, Asian, African and South and North American continents, as well as in Wallacea. The species epithet honors German geologist Ferdinand von Roemer, who lived in Texas from 1845 to 1847 and became known as the "father of Texas geology".
Native to fillsides, slopes, chaparral & brush country in Texas, New Mexico, south into Chihuahua, Coahuila, and Nuevo Leon.