Flower profile
Whitethorn acacia
Vachellia constricta
Whitethorn acacia is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Arizona it's most often seen in bloom in April–September.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Arizona
Quick look
Vachellia constricta, also known commonly as the whitethorn acacia, is a shrub native to Mexico and the Southwestern United States.
- It belongs to the Fabaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as a shrub / a tree with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 5 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Arizona. NatureServe
- In Arizona, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–September. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as yellow. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as late spring. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 9 ft. USDA PLANTS
- iNaturalist has 1,509 research-grade sightings of it in Arizona, ranking #61 among the 109 flowers on our Arizona list. iNaturalist
Whitethorn acacia gift ideas
Handmade whitethorn acacia gifts from independent makers.
🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.
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Whitethorn acacia art print
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Whitethorn acacia greeting card
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Whitethorn acacia mug
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Whitethorn acacia earrings
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Whitethorn acacia embroidery pattern
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Whitethorn acacia sticker
When does it bloom?
In Arizona, most flowering sightings come in April–September.
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
- Arizona
- Not listed Not on Arizona Native Plant Law protected plants (Ariz. Admin. Code R3-3 Art. 11, App. A, eff. Feb. 2, 2025). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Arizona. AAC R3-3 App. A
- Rare elsewhere
- No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
USDA PLANTS rates its toxicity as “slight.” (USDA's rating covers people and livestock and doesn't say which parts.) NC State Extension has no page for it. USDA PLANTS
It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records whitethorn acacia in 5 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Arizona, Maryland, New Mexico, Texas, Virginia.
Arizona counties with USDA records: Cochise, Coconino, Gila, Graham, Greenlee, La Paz, Maricopa, Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz, Yavapai, Yuma.
More Arizona flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile VACO9.
- iNaturalist, Vachellia constricta: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Vachellia constricta (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Arizona: Arizona Native Plant Law protected plants (Ariz. Admin. Code R3-3 Art. 11, App. A, eff. Feb. 2, 2025).
- Arizona: Arizona prohibited noxious weeds (Ariz. Admin. Code R3-4-245).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Vachellia constricta (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: USDA PLANTS.
- Photo: Luke via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.