The ones I read about are African.

This must be a cold weather variety? Since its famous, there must be a photo of it on the internet.

Most of the true Acacias are from Australia and Africa. The really showy flowering ones that have the beautiful yellow flowers in spring are the Australian ones. They are not hardy in Michigan. I don't think they would survive in Hungary either. They do well in southern California and the warmer parts of Europe, such as Spain and Italy. There are one or two hardy types that are native to the midwestern USA but they don't have such beautiful flowers and they aren't very well known. To add to the confusion, they are often called "mimosa", especially in the floral trade. But in the nursery business, "mimosa" generally refers to Albizzia julibrissin, which sort of resembles the Acacia, but has larger pinkish flowers. It is hardy to zone 6 and so it may grown in parts of Michigan as well as Hungary. And also some people do refer to locust as Acacia. It is confusing at times.

Here are links to photos of both types.

Acacia baileyan - Australia: http://img1.photographersdirect.com/img/9204/wm/pd461943.jpg

Albizzia julibrissin - Americas:
http://www.gardenoasis.co.uk/images/Flora_Direct/Roses/Albizia_Julibrissin_rosea.jpg

Good luck!
Bill

well a google search for "acacia tree hungary" seemed to indicate that the "acacia" of hungary and northern europe is what we in the states would call "black locust" (robinia pseudoacacia---the pseudoacacia name literally means the "false acacia"). the name is used probably because of the similar looking foliage to the "true acacia" which as mentioned in previous posts is a genera whose species are native to tropical and subtropical africa, australia and north and south america. black locust (the "locust" refers to the seed pods which resemble the pods of the "true" locust tree (ceratonia siliqua) native to southern europe and northern africa). kind of confusing but tends to be what happens when various common names are used instead of scientific/latin names. hope this kind of helps.

I've always seen acacia trees in Africa. They are usually the trees giraffes graze from. But my next door neighbors do have 2 trees planted between my house and theirs that kind of resembles acacia. They are covered with wicked thorns, just like an acacia, but I never really noticed them flower, maybe they do, I just don't pay close enough attention. They definitely aren't locusts though, they grow short and wide with kind of with a gnarling trunk. The local Petsmart also has a few trees planted that are covered with thorns, and I thought those were acacias, so I'll have to pay closer attention this spring to the flowers and leaves.

To add to the confusion, there are also several wonderful varieties of acacia trees native to desert SW and Central and South America ,most of which won't survive above Zone 9, (a few are hardy to Zone 8). A, angustissima is a shrub which is native to Plains and hardy to Zone 6. It has the pretty yellow puff ball-type flowers typical of Acacias, and can be found in nurseries in SW. Maybe available mail order?

Okay, I'd agree that the Black Locust is the best explanation; however, I discounted it due to the descriptions in old literature of the beautiful and showy blossoms in early spring.

As far as I know, Black Locust are a prominent local native tree and their were many forested areas in Northern Hungary that would resemble them.

It's the showy blossoms that has me confused!

IMHO, black locust does have "showy" white (and in the case of certain hybrids and cultivars) pink/purple flowers SOMEWHAT like a wisteria. another related widely planted native tree is also called locust----"honey locust" (gleditsia tricanthos)has similar foliage and spines but the flowers are relatively small and not especially sttractive compared to the robinia. it also has large pods like the black locust. once again i would suggest you do a google search for "acacia > hungary" and one of the first results should be a story on bee-keeping in hungary where they say that black locust (called acacia there) is supposed to be the main source for the bees to make the best honey.

Yardman -- the native, wild strain white-flowered black locust is quite attractive in full bloom, and also very fragrant. You should be able to see them in all of the woodlots along the roads when they bloom, which is generally around the first week of June, give or take 5-10 days either way depending upon the warmth of the season.

Some of the improved cultivars are really attractive. Purple Robe is a name that comes to mind from memory -- a really pretty tree, very similar to wisteria, but actually a pinky-mauve color instead of purple.

There is also a dwarf species from the SE US that is fully hardy here and quite common -- it too has pink-mauve flowers in May/June, and can be so full of blooms that you can hardly see the foliage. This one has the advantage of reblooming in 2 or 3 lighter flushes throughout the season, as late as September, and is also sterile so it doesn't set seeds. It spreads by underground roots instead. This one is called Bristly locust, Robinia hispida. There are severa improved cultivars out there, but they are rare.

I was going to say an Acacia is a terrible, evil plant that likes to trap you on it's thorns as you walk by. I had too many bad experiences with them in Kenya. I caught my shoulder on one of the smaller, curvy thorns one day and when I turned around to unhook myself, there was a giant spider coming towards me. I panicked and jerked forward and got a nasty cut. And later, I got an acacia thorn that went all the way through my shoe.

Thanks for all of the responses. I think it is pretty safe to say that the Hungarian Acacia is actually a False Acacia and did indeed come from the Lower Great Lakes Region during the 1850's to help reforest the Hungarian Plains and hills and to provide necessary wood logs for heating their homes in the winter.

I will be watching closely for the blossoms on the local black locust trees here in SE Michigan. Just cause I don't really remember seeing them, doesn't mean they don't exist...

Yardman, I'll try to remember this thread when they pop out and post about it to remind you to look. I'm pretty attuned to watching for them -- the road I live on is lined on both sides of them, the fragrance is strong, and my bees take a lot of nectar off of them during the bloom period. Generally right after Memorial Day.

Acacia is the logo for the Nature tv program on pbs and is also know as the tree of life 1.because in the dry season on the African plains its one of the only food sources for leaf eating animals and 2.the native Africans always see animals near or under the trees for its the only shade in the African plains so they believe the tree spawned life.

Well, my thread here and some patience have paid off. The Native Black Locust to SE Michigan (pseudo acacia) is indeed the Black Locust that is now used in Eastern Europe.

After a gorgeous Spring here in Michigan, the Black Locusts bloomed in the middle 2 weeks of May and had large clustered white pendulous clumping blooms that were quite showy and very prevelant. I cannot believe that I have never noticed those blossoms in earlier years; how could I have not seen their maginificent glory?

I think this thread is dead and solved. The Acacia Tree of Hungary was actually brought over from Michigan in the 1850's and now serves as a prominent and national tree in Hungary.

I think that because our climate in SE Michigan has considerable more heating degree days, that the blooms here are earlier than what would be experienced in Hungary. I know that they have slightly milder winters, but their summers do not get the heat and humidity of Michigan, nor do their average yearly temperatures measure up to those in Michigan.

However, it is satisfying to know that Michigan; which has more hardwood species than all of Europe; was able to help re-establish some woodlands in Hungary and is now so revered by the Eastern European nation.