Mimosa Tree

Mimosa tree is also popularly known as silk trees. There are approximately 50 different varieties of mimosa trees found all over the world. Originally, these trees are from China. They are also found in other parts of Asia and Middle East region. Some of its varieties can be seen in parts of East Africa and Australia too. People in the United States started growing this tree around 1745. Today, it is grown in several places like Virginia, Louisiana, New York, New Jersey, California and so on.

Mimosa Tree Facts

Mimosa is a deciduous tree whose size varies from small to medium. On an average, the height of these plants are in between 20 feet to 40 feet. It bark is dark brown in color and has a smooth texture.

The soft green leaves of mimosa look very similar to that of ferns. They are 5 - 8 inches in length and 3 - 4 inches in width. These leaves are grouped together and appear as feather on the lime green colored stems. The foliage of mimosa plant has a special sensitive characteristic due to which the leaflets tend to fold together in the form of pairs during the night.

The flowers of the mimosa tree are aromatic in nature and are of one and half inches in length. Interestingly, it is not the petals but the long thread like stamens of these flowers that make them look so showy and colorful. Its color can be as varied as yellowish pink to coral red. They bloom in the summer time starting from April to July. They grow in clusters at the end of the branches.

As it belongs to the legume family, its fruits develop into flat pods like many other legumes. These pods are straw colored, oval shaped and 6 inches long. Though these pods ripen by August or September, they stay on the plant till winter months when they are either dropped or blown off. Each pods contain around 5 - 10 seeds inside it. These seeds are about half an inch in size, oval shaped and brown in color.

Reproduction occurs both vegetatively as well as by seeds. The seeds are dispersed mainly in the areas close to the parent plant. But they may get dispersed to other areas by water and wildlife also. In vegetative reproduction, trees are cut back for the purpose of regrowth.

They can grow in some really hardy zones and can survive in temperature as low as -10 degrees Fahrenheit. The light requirements for these trees is usually full sun but it can grow in partially shaded areas as well. There are a large variety of soils types on which mimosa can grow. It includes clay soil, loam soil and sandy soil. The ideal soil condition should be acidic but can grow on mild alkaline soil too. They do not require frequent watering and can survive in drought condition as well.

Mimosa Tree Care

The ideal time for planting a mimosa tree is during the spring on a well drained soil. As these flowering plants prefer acidic nature of the soil, you should add peat moss and composted leaves from time to time to maintain its acidic properties. Watering the tree should be done in such a way that the soil remains in moist condition but do not get saturated with water. Keep the area under the tree clean by sweeping off the flowers and seed pods. Pruning of the branches should be done in the fall. This tree often get infested by pests like webworm caterpillars. The affected branches should be removed as soon as possible to prevent any further damage to the tree. Otherwise, insecticides has to be sprayed.

Now you can plant it in your garden, patio or deck. The mimosa can reproduce really fast and cover vast areas in a short period of time. Thus, it can pose a threat for the neighboring plants in your flower garden and reduce the supply of nutrients and sunlight to them. Therefore, make a proper plan before planting the tree to avoid such problems.