Vachellia gerrardii is a sparsely branched tree with a long, straight stem that starts branching high up to form a flattish crown. In its natural habitat it is normally found in arid river valleys and shrubby uplands where it can search for water. This tree is not endemic to South Africa, its distribution stretches from Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga to the North West province.

Leaves of this tree are hairy and bipinnate. The leaflets are velvety and closely spaced. V. gerrardii’s bark is dark grey and fissured, with red under-bark appearing in the cracks. On young branches the bark is red, the young growth is covered in hairs. When in flower the tree looks stunning with creamy white balls of flowers. The bisexual flowers occur in almost spherical groups that are regular and symmetrical. After flowering, the fruit appears on the tree in form of narrow sickle-shaped pods that are approximately 16 x 1,2cm long.

The leaves are good forage for domestic animals as they contain about 17% crude protein. The tree is drought and slightly frost resistant. It is suitable for planting in slightly small gardens.