Acacia flowers have many powerful associations, superstitions, and cultural significance. It also has a long, rich history. One Acacia meaning for this flower is concealed or chaste love. Another acacia flower meaning is immortality, strength, rebirth, and resurrection. Keep reading to find out all you could want to know about the Acacia flower.
About the Acacia Flower
Acacia refers to a genus of around 150 trees and shrubs. This flower species belongs to the Fabaceae family, the pea family.
In Australia, the flower is called Wattles because of its use as fencing because of the thorns. Using shorter growing Acacia can keep in livestock while keeping out wildlife. In addition, most species are bred here to be more drought-resistant for xeriscaping.
Characteristics of Acacia Flowers
The species of Acacia shrubs and trees produce clusters of small attractive stamen-heavy blooms that resemble pom-poms with thorny fern-like foliage, stalks, and branches.
Many of these evergreen species emit a sweet honey fragrance that can be used for perfume from flowers in pink, yellow, white, or gold. The tiny flowers have five petals in tightly packed globular clusters.
Acacia bark, stems, and branches have many thorns that you must remove before using these flowers in a cut arrangement or bouquet. Leaves are tightly packed pinnate that stay green year-round.
The height can range from 40 to 70 feet with a three-foot diameter.
History and Origin of Acacia
Acacia began as a wildflower grown across Africa and Asia millions of years ago. It has served as a valuable food source for animals at first, then humans. Finally, in the early AD, humans started cultivating plants for perfume. They made it to Europe in the 1700s.
The literal Acacia flower meaning is the translation of the Greek word Akakia, which is the thorny tree that comes from Egypt. Ancient Greeks discovered these flowers as a perfume source in ancient Egypt.
Numerous ancient cultures used Acacia wood for building temples because of the fast growth.
Distribution and Habitat
Acacia trees and shrubs can grow globally in subtropical and tropical climates, with most plants in Australia and Africa.
Some species are native to the Mediterranean and Asia, with a few in the tropical and desert areas of Central and western North America. They do best in dry, warm climates.
How to Take Care of Acacia Flowers
Once Acacia trees get established, they require minimal maintenance and care. In addition, because the roots deeply penetrate the ground, it can access underground water, letting it survive droughts.
But when young, give your plant protection from animals and water once weekly. After it’s grown, you can reduce watering to once monthly. Immersing the entire area around the tree prevents shallow root development.
Your plant will need fun sun and the pruning of dead leaves and branches.
Benefits of Acacia Flowers
Gum made from Acacia can help keep the urinary tract healthy. It can also make a beneficial tonic to treat respiratory issues. In addition, acacia tannin can treat burns with soothing relief.
The acacia tree is also nutritious, commonly used by many survivalists, often as a broth and dietary supplement.
The bark and leaf extract are treatments for colds, toothaches, and burns by Aboriginal people.
The Best Time to Gift Someone Acacia Flowers
Acacia flowers are not a popular gift requested by florists. However, you might choose them for a winter wedding bouquet. The messages of secret love and rebirth give them interesting wedding associations.
It’s more common to use these flowers for supporting a friend who is going through a struggle in life. White Acacia flowers make suitable inclusions for get-well-soon or bereavement bouquets.
Uses of Acacia
Consumption of Acacia can be done in multiple ways, including different parts of the plant. For example, some of the flowers can make tea when dried. In contrast, you can eat other species fresh.
Numerous Acacia trees also produce gum Arabic, an edible gum used as an ingredient in multiple dishes. It was also once a treatment for various conditions. For example, it’s suitable for curing high cholesterol, irritable bowel syndrome, diabetes, obesity, gum inflammation, and plague.
In Sudan in Africa, the gum makes synthetic resin used in adhesives, pharmaceuticals, inks, and other products. In addition, acacia bark has tannins that can make ink and dyes.
And because many species produce sweet honey, they’re often planted to produce this nectar to attract pollinators.
Superstitions of Acacia
The positive spiritual meaning of the acacia tree means that the Acacia blossom meaning is for protection against demons and ghosts.
Specifically, this acacia flower symbolism is due to the smoke that occurs when the leaves are lit on fire, producing hydrogen cyanide – a poison that can be fatal to livestock. However, the flower can also be bad luck because it wasn’t identified as the cause of death for livestock in the old days.
Symbolism of the Acacia Flower
Ancient Acacia symbolisms meant fortitude, renewal, and pureness across the world. It can also mean adulation, wholesomeness, diligence, devotion, endurance, safety, renewal, and autonomy.
Multiple rituals incorporate Acacias flowers, like funerals. The Acacia tree symbolism means the soul transcends death by moving beyond the Earth Plane because the soul is indestructible like energy.
Planting an Acacia at the head of a loved one’s gravesite represents human’s eternal nature and remembrance in Hebrew cultures.
Common Colors of Acacia and Their Meaning
Although the Acacia flower genus has more than 100 species, most Acacia blossom in shades of five colors, the flower color can have a unique Acacia flower meaning.
- White
A white acacia flower can mean grief, strength, virtue, and purity. But, white Acacia flower blooms can also mean innocence.
- Yellow
Yellow Acacia blossoms can symbolize joy, good health, fun, and warmth. You can also use flowers in yellow acacia, meaning power and growth.
- Purple
An Acacia tree that produces flowers in the color purple – Acacia purpureapetala – offers a blend of the serene calmness you get from blue and the dynamic energy of red.
Purple flowers can also represent dignity, creativity, wisdom, devotion, peace, wealth, mystery, magic, grandeur, independence, and extravagance.
- Gold
Gold Acacia flowers symbolize royalty, respect, dignity, power, and wealth.
- Pink
Pink flowers mean platonic and developing love, gentleness, joyfulness, romantic feelings, and youth.
Cultural Significance
In multiple European countries, men gift their female partners with Acacia flowers on March 8 to show affection and love.
International Woman’s Day is the commemoration of the ongoing fight women experience for liberation against cultural traditions. For these occasions, Acacia represents freedom and adoration.
Ancient Greek and Egyptian Mythology
Ancient Greek and Egyptian mythology give the Acacia meaning of resurrection and rebirth. Acacia means honorable and straightforward in Greek.
Egyptians were the first culture to harvest Acacia flowers and the tree resin to use as a source of perfume and medicine. They then introduced the species to the Greeks. The Acacia plant’s cultural significance is the association with Nut, an Egyptian goddess.
The Tree of Life and Death is an Acacia found at Heliopolis, giving the Acacia flower its meanings in Greek culture.
Judaism
In Judaism, the wood of the Acacia tree has importance, although the Acacia flower isn’t named in the Torah. The timing of planting these trees had to be just right for them to use for building, giving the plant symbols of foresight and regrowth.
The Tabernacle built in the Desert came from the Acacia tree – one of a few limited building resources readily available in arid climates. Therefore, it’s a potent representation of the dedication to achieve a goal and, among security, being blessed.
Bible
According to the Christian religion, acacia wood is the material used for the instructions Noah had to follow for the ark.
And some historians see a connection between the Acacia and the Burning Bush and the Tree of Life.
Victorian Flower Language
In Victorian times, flowers were a way to send secret messages to communicate things that weren’t appropriate to discuss.
The Victorian flower language gives this flower meaning of sophistication of secret love and good friends or a strong friendship. It can also be to show appreciation to a friend for supporting you. But other flower meanings include wit and sophistication.
Nepal and Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetans and Buddhists believed that burning an acacia incense from the gum resin wards off spirits and ill-meaning ghosts. Likewise, you can use a piece of Acacia wood for a protection amulet.
Species of Acacia shrubs native to China and the Himalayas were used in multiple religious rites. For example, wood from the tree was often used for carving Buddha figurines because of the fragrance and fine grain.
Flowers and the tree itself symbolize Tara – the Mother of Liberation – a female bodhisattva that inspires compassion and kindness when used for meditation.
Freemasonry and Modern Fraternities
Acacia has also been adopted as a symbol of Freemasons for masonic plants, who believe the Egyptian tradition of the Acacia freemason means rebirth and eternal life.
One of the only Greek houses to be named after a word than a Greek symbol is a Freemason Fraternity, named the Freemason Acacia.
Interesting Facts About Acacia Flowers
Acacia flowers have short lifespans of 15 to 30 years.
There are several uses for Gum Arabic, the resin that comes from extracting African Acacia species. First, it’s used for soft beverages, confectionery, and frozen desserts in the food industry.
Tree sap, bark, and leaves can tan leather (tanning with tannins) or as a preservative in pharmaceuticals.
Acacia wood was once used for ship construction. Today, we use it for jewelry, tools, toys, furniture, and flooring. Features and seeds are common in Asian cuisines and American liqueurs.
Acacia Flower Tattoo
When wondering what an Acacia flower tattoo represents, you can use it to symbolize the joy of early spring. Or you can use it for retirement or pure love.
Acacia FAQ
Learn more about the Acacia flower by reading these commonly asked questions.
What Does Acacia Flower Smell Like?
The nectar produced by the Acacia flower smells like honey.
How Do Acacia Trees Adapt to the Desert?
Acacia trees grow deep roots that can get access to water deep underground to ensure they can survive without a period of rain.
Final Thoughts
The evergreen properties of acacia trees make them a popular choice for having a beautiful shrub to enjoy year-round, even when not producing the clusters of tiny fragranced flowers. Just be sure to watch out for the plant’s sharp spikes! But it’s perfect for planting around the border of your property to keep out intruders (2-legged and four).