The Acacia is an ancient flower that holds within itself a lot of symbolic meaning to a lot of different people. For some it represents renewal and fortitude. For others, it might represent immortality and the human soul.
An acacia is a type of shrub or tree that produces bright flowers, usually yellow, found in the warm climates of the African savannah or Australia. Though the flowers come and go, the bush is actually evergreen, and thus has leaves all throughout the year.
Though the origins are unclear, the word probably comes from the Greek word akakia, which is roughly translated to mean “thorny Egyptian tree”. This is derived from the Greek ake, which means “point” or “to be sharp”.
Symbolism Of The Acacia
As mentioned, there are several different meanings. But, the majority of them state that the acacia represents renewal, fortitude, and pureness all across the world.
The flower seems to draw freemasons more than most. They use the acacia as an emblem for the human soul and its immortality. This is due to the evergreen nature of its bush.
People has used it in various different rituals including funeral services. It serves as a reminder that nothing can destroy the soul, similar to energy. But, it continues to live beyond our earthly plane.
There are many ties between funeral ceremonies and the acacia flower. Not just in Freemasonry. But, it was common practice in Hebrew tradition to plant an acacia tree at the head of a person’s grave. Especially if they particularly loved that person.
The acacia is an incorruptible bush that is eternal, and can endure longer than it may seem.
Acacia Flower Color Meaning
There are several good connotations that are associated with the different varieties of color that the acacia flower might bloom with.
Yellow
The most common color for an acacia flower is yellow, in which case the flower reflects vitality and spiritual enlightenment. Spiritually, a yellow flower might represent the fact that this tree’s spirit is just beginning to bloom, or that it is young and vibrant.
Happiness, intellect, and general positivity frequently associates with yellow. This has been true of human’s for a long time. So the ancient folk who gathered around an acacia tree looking for its bright colors uplifted its symbolism the same way that we are in modern times.
If the acacia flowers have bloomed purple, then these flowers are full of a combination of both the serenity and the dynamic energy of red. Serenity which people typically associated with blue.
Frequently, the color purple is a sign of prestige, nobility, and ambition. For the acacia flowers, the connotations of magic and wealth might be more applicable.
Red
A red flower blossoming on an acacia tree symbolizes fertility and pleasure, dynamic energy and passion. As with a lot of red flowers, a red acacia flower represents all the positives and negatives that come with the color; rage, and love.
However, due to the symbolic nature of the acacia, these connotations take on a second meaning. It’s not just love, but it’s everlasting and enduring love.
Meaningful Botanical Characteristics of the Acacia
There’s no wonder why so many ancient cultures found so much meaning in the acacia tree, as there are many uses for the wood and the flower that aren’t merely symbolic, thanks to its many botanical characteristics.
What we have been calling the acacia tree is actually only one member of the massive Acacia Genus. The genus is a part of the Fabaceae pea family, and subfamily Mimosoideae.
Many people see this massive connection between these different trees found all across the world to symbolize the interconnectedness of our beings and spirits.
Acacia trees and shrubs are notable for several reasons, thanks to these key characteristics:
Pinnate Leaves
The leaves of an acacia tree are compound and bipinnate – this means that they grow in rows that surround a single stem rather than from many different stems. This makes these species of acacia look somewhat feathery, or fern-like.
When it comes to the leaves of an acacia tree, I find it interesting to note that not everything that looks like a leaf actually is one. Some of these “leaves” are actually phyllodes – which is a type of modified petiole that connects to branches in the place of leaf stalks.
Other leaves or stems could also be cladodes, which is essentially a photosynthetic stem. This might sound too significant but is a testament to the enduring nature of acacia trees, as they find other botanical ways to survive any conditions.
Vibrant Flowers
These trees produce flowers that come in a variety of different colors. The flowers only have minimal petals and vibrant, showy stamens. People found them clustered together either in spherical heads or in elongated spikes, depending on the exact species of acacia.
High Tannin Content
Tannin is a brown or yellowish organic substance found in tree bark and used in the process of tanning leather. Acacia trees are noteworthy for having a particularly high level of tannin in their wood, making them pretty significant to the leather industry.
Special Occasions For The Acacia Flower
As previously stated, the acacia flower mostly associates with funeral services. However, I wouldn’t say that people considered it a mourning flower. This flower does not attach to sadness, the way an orchid, or a peace lily does.
No, the acacia flower is more hopeful than that. When it is placed at the head of a burial site, it is symbolizing that the deceased spirit lives on eternally, that your spirits will be together again.
However, there is a flip side to the flower. People can also use it as a sign of love and affection – especially the red varieties. As an example of this, on the 8th of March in some European countries such as Italy, men might present a woman that they’re interested in with an acacia flower.
In other places, some use the acacia flower as a symbol of International Women’s day, as the flower can mean adoration and freedom, as well as immortality and renewal.
As previously mentioned, the acacia tree and bush are significant across a number of different cultures. None more so than in Jewish tradition.
Not only did ancient Jewish people plant an acacia tree at the head of grave to signify remembrance and the endurance of spirit. But, there is also a lot of debate about the appearance of acacia trees in the Old Testament of the Bible. The elements that are shared with the Jewish Torah.
For example, people believed that the instructions passed to Noah used to build the ark were engraved in acacia wood. As well as this, some historians believe that the tree of Life, and the Burning Bush from the Bible were also both acacia trees.
In countries in the far East, they used various parts of the acacia tree as incense for special rituals. For example, in Tibet, the incense from acacia bushes will burn away any ill-meaning spirits or ghosts. And so, with that in mind, a piece of Acacia wood might work well as a protective amulet.
Acacia Flower Uses
For example, these flowers have a very potent smell which in recent years have been helpful in manufacturing perfumes. However, they also have a natural capacity to fight and repel insect swarms, which is just one of the many reasons that people revered this tree.
As well as this, and thanks to the intense tannins found in acacia wood, People used the species in a lot of leather work, including tanning and stretching. In fact, it’s practically vital to the industry.
But it’s not just leather work. Many highly sought after the wood for constructing instruments like high-end guitars, as well as other products like canoes and surfboards.
The seed of this bush can also be used to make rich green dyes, whilst the flowers can be used to make either yellow, purple, or red dyes. This would have been very useful to cultures that could dye their clothes and important cloth to add significance to them.
Finally, people used the gum from the wood as a food additive, an adhesive, as well as in cosmetic products.
There are so many uses for the wood, flowers, and seeds, it’s not hard to see why so many different cultures would have wanted to stay close to acacia trees and make sure that they were planting a lot more.
The acacia is an interesting flower with a rich history and cultural significance. Here are some quick fire facts about the acacia flower and tree.
Non-Australian species of acacia tend to have sharp thorns all over their stems, whilst acacia in Australia do not.
The Acacia is a pod-bearing tree, rather than fruit. The pods are carried by birds to be fertilized in other places. These pods are super dry, and usually contain 5 or 6 dark brown seeds.
In some places, acacias are invasive species, due to how quickly they reproduce and how resilient they are.
Acacia usually grow to be about 40ft, however there are some types that can grow to be up to 70ft tall and 3ft wide.
The acacia leaves provide food for camels, goats, giraffes, and cattle.
In the past, the wood of an acacia was popularly used for the manufacture of ships due to the strong and durable nature of the wood.
Today acacia wood is more commonly used for floors, furniture, toys, jewellery, and tools.
Acacia has a pretty short life span for a tree, only living to be around 15-30 years old.
Some kinds of acacia have a symbiotic relationship with certain ants. The ants will bury through and live in the large thorny pods of the Whistling Thorn species of acacia. The stinging ants then swarm out and attack anything that disturbs the branches.
What Is The Symbolism Of An Acacia Flower Tattoo
The meaning behind an acacia flower varies depending on the context the person gives. But there are some overarching concepts communicated if you choose to get an acacia flower tattoo.
For example, in line with the previously understood symbolism of the acacia flower, a tattoo could be worn in remembrance of loved ones that have passed away, as a way to feel as though their spirit is still near you.
For others, the flower might mean love that is chaste and true – like how Italy used it on the 8th of March. It would therefore make a great couples tattoo, or tattoo you get to symbolise your lover, or keep them with you.
In other ways, an acacia tattoo could also symbolize beauty in retirement, as you grow old with your tattoo, you and it will remain beautiful and endure, just like an acacia tree, you will be evergreen.
Bottom Line
There is a lot of symbolism and meaning the acacia flower has. But the most prominent of all of them is the endurance and resilience of the human spirit, and how, even in death, the spirit remains.
Diane has always been interested in spirituality and self-improvement. She is a happy and outgoing person. She started her spiritual journey with Chandra while looking for tools to bring positivity to their lives. She boosts her mind with self-care and affirmations. However, she also knows what crystals to wear based on her feelings. She also practices the law of attraction.
