Sweet acacia, Acaciafarnesiana (L.) Willd., is the only acacia native to Alabama where it is found along the coast from Texas through Georgia. Acacias are generally thorny trees that are similar to the more familiar honeylocust, GleditsiatriacanthosL., and black locust, Robinia pseudoacacia L.
The plant mentioned in the Bible that has been identified as acacia is the shittah tree, A. seyalDel., in Isaiah 41:18. More often the wood is refereed to as shittim wood especially where it was used to construct the Ark of the Covenant and the Tabernacle. This tree is also a source of gum arabic along with A.senegal (L.) Willd.
