Cinnecord
Vachellia choriophylla
Cinnecord is a very rare native shrub found in upper Key Largo. It can be a bit invasive if planted outside its range, yet nothing that requires much work to control. This is a tall shrub up to 20 feet that makes a nice specimen. In spring it is full of half inch round fragrant yellow flowers growing in clusters.
The three inch long, oblong seed pods have small brown seeds inside that are held together by a white aril that attracts bats for dispersal. There are many Cinnecord plants in the Bahamas and many bats too, yet few bats in South Florida. This may be why the seeds are usually found near the parent plant and not spread throughout the Keys.
Due to its spreading habit, you may want to give Cinnecord its own space and not crowd it with other trees. A grove of Cinnecord is attractive and mimics the colonies found in nature. It unfortunately is not great for wildlife, but is interesting, rare and very drought tolerant with a moderate amount of salt tolerance.
Plant it twenty feet from a Lignum Vitae, Buccaneer Palms, the Thatch Palms and other tree species. Then under plant with Chapman’s Cassia, Key Lilies, Coonties, Native Porterweed, Necklacepod, Snowberry, Sea Lavender, Rhacoma-Maidenbush, Wild Sage and low wildflowers.