Catclaw Acacia provides an excellent nectar source for honey and is attractive to butterflies. The dense spikes of cream colored flowers emit a powerfully sweet fragrance.
This plant is a member of the Pea Family and its fairly large seeds occur in 2-6 inch long, twisted, stringbean-type pods. They start off as green and eventually age to a brown color.
Catclaw Acacia branches have wickedly sharp, curved thorns that can easily scratch skin and snag clothing. Close encounters with this plant can leave you looking like you were in a cat fight.
Even along the driest desert washes, this shrub often presents a lush appearance with stems densely clothed in feathery leaves.
This plant provides shade and protective cover for wildlife. Its pods, twigs and leaves are eaten by a variety of desert birds and mammals.