Umbrella thorn

Umbrella-shaped acacias in the rawdas are among Qatar’s few wild trees – an oasis of shade for birds and gazelles.

The umbrella thorn is a small tree with a flat, umbrella-shaped crown, small pinnate leaves and pairs of sharp thorns. Its pods are spirally twisted and make nutritious fodder for animals. Deep roots allow it to draw water from deep layers of the soil. It bears small, creamy-white, fragrant flower heads.

Significance in the country

In Qatar acacias grow mainly in the rawdas – depressions where water collects after rain – and are among the country’s most valuable wild trees. They were once cut for firewood and charcoal, so the remaining trees are now protected.

Where it grows

It grows in rawdas and dry depressions across the peninsula, outside built-up Doha – most abundantly in the centre and north of the country.

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