Uses of Acacia

Medicinal Uses

• Acacia has been used in traditional medicine to treat high cholesterol, diabetes, cancer, gingivitis, mouth sores, pharyngitis, and indigestion in children. The wood of acacia catechu may be boiled down and then evaporated, to create an acacia extract used as an astringent medicine -- which may help ease minor skin irritations. In Ayurvedic medicine, acacia nilotica is believed to be a potential cure for premature ejaculation. Acacia doesn't have any known side effects as a medical remedy, but you should always consult your doctor before trying any new treatment.

Food Uses

• Many Asian countries use acacia seeds as a cooking ingredient. In Thai cuisine acacia seeds go into soups, curries and sitr-fries. Acacia honey -- made by bees who use the acacia flower as forage -- is enjoyed for its delicate, flowery taste, transparency and smooth running texture, it's one of the few honeys that does not crystallize. In Mexican cooking the flat, green acacia tree pods, known as guajes, are eaten raw with guacamole, or cooked and made into a sauce or fritters. In Mexico dried acacia seeds may also be toasted and salted and served as a snack.

Decorative Uses

• Certain species of acacia are grown in gardens as ornaments -- such as acacia dealbata or silver wattle, which has silver leaves and bright yellow flowers, and acacia xanthophloea or fever tree. In Southern Europe acacia baileyana, acacia dealbata, acacia pycnantha and acacia retinodes are sold by florists as cut flowers who refer to them as "mimosa." The ornamental types of acacia may also act as a deterrent to trespassers and vandals, because the prominent sharp thorns make them useful home security tools if they are positioned beneath windows and beside drainpipes. Their appearance makes them a more aesthetically pleasing alternative to false walls and fences.