MIMOSA Albizia julibrissin

Growing up, our neighbor Mrs. Henley had a beautiful mimosa tree that my mother loved. Mom was gifted a cutting and grew one of her own. Unfortunately, it was attacked by an unknown assailant with a hatchet one day. My mom is STILL angry about it, 50 years later. 

When we bought the overgrown acreage of my city farmhouse, I had no idea that I would come back from Colorado just before 4th of July that first summer and take a walk through the newly-cleared property to look up and see a majestic  mimosa in full bloom. It took my breath away. The fern like leaves with little puffs of pink rampant upon it was just stuning. The pom pom flowers remind me of the pink tufts of Dr. Suess' truffala trees in The Lorax.  

The flower scent is pleasant and fragrant. The leaves are sensitive and the sides will fold together if touched and close at night.

Mimosa is loved and hated in equal measures. Here in zone 5a/6b, mimosa is not the easiest tree to propagate as we are at the edge of its hardiness zones. It is considered an uncommon ornamental. In warmer climates, it can become invasive and is regulated in some areas. 

Mimosa was introduced to the U.S. in 1785 by a French botanist named Andre Michaux. He had a botanic garden in Charleston, South Carolina where he grew it. It is native to the Middle East and Asia. It is also known as silk tree, Chinese silk tree, Persian silk tree, tree of happiness and pink siris.

You can find mimosa seeds and transplants in my shop.

Growing

Mimosa grows 20-40' on average, but can get as tall as 50'. It is a fast grower with a compact habit. Low water needs means it can take some drought and neglect. It withstands urban demands such as street salt, pollution, low water and heat. It can handle some of the poorest soils and where its conditions are right, can be one of the first trees to populate fire or tillage disturbed areas.

It is a weak tree and prone to breakage, so don't plant close to structures or anything of value. It is a legume tree, so it can produce nitrogen in the roots. It can be used to shade young fruit tree transplants and when they mature enough, the mimosa can be pruned down to continue as a beneficial companion plant in a food forest.

It is invasive in most areas it grows, so removal of the seed pods is necessary. It handles pruning well and can even be used for bonsai.

uses

Used as an ornamental and focal point tree, decorative tree lines, shade tree and the wood is used in some areas for furniture. The bark and flowers are edible.

Final Thoughts

This was the first tree I really took notice of when I was a little girl because my mom was so enamored of them. They are seldom seen in my area, and just make my heart happy when I come across one. They seem whimsical to me and other-worldly. There is now a young volunteer next to the farmhouse, and I appreciate that I don't have to walk out into the woods to see one anymore, I can just go out the backdoor, sit with my coffee, think of my childhood running barefoot in the sun around and climbing up our mimosa, and commune with my mother's love of this darling tree. She says she doesn't have room for one at their current place, but I think maybe she needs one. She receiving a sapling for Mother's Day this next year is quite possible.

sPECS

Albizia julibrissin

Type: Diciduous

Wood Type: Soft wood, brittle/weak

Uses: Flowering, ornamental, shade tree, nitrogen fixing companion planting tree, bonsai

Hardiness Zone: 6-10

Transplant: Fall through spring when ground is workable

Height: 10-50 feet Spread: 20-50 feet

Life Span: 30 years, can be as low as 10

Roots: Non-invasive

Flower Color: Pink, prolific

Leaf Color: Blue-green, fern like

Fall Leaf Color: Yellow, but drop pretty quick

Seed Pods: Bean with about 8 seeds, 5-16 possible

Transplant: Fall through spring when ground is workable

Spacing: They don't mind being crowded, but 12' minimum

Sunlight: Full sun 6+ hours, 8-10 is best, unfiltered Water Requirements: Low, tolerates drought

Soil Quality: Not picky, can tolerate bad and rocky soil

Soil Chemistry: 4.6-5 pH

Fertilize: Not necessary, roots can produce their own nitrogen

Growth Rate: Fast

Bloomtime: May-August

Attracts: Butterflies, bees, hummingbirds Critter Resistant: Resistant to deer

Critter Attractant: No

Harvest: Bark and flowers for medicinal and teas

Pruning: Often lose branches, prune as necessary to keep breaks clean

Pests: Mimosa webworm, shot hole borer, mites

Diseases: Mimosa vascular wilt, armillaria fungus, root rot, cottony cushion scale

Reseeds: Yes

Propagation: Seed and stem cuttings

Garden Style: Oriental, drought, eclectic, food forest companion kept pruned

Companions: Lilac, Russian sage, false cypress,

Allergy Potential: Possible, not common

WARNINGS: Seeds contain a neurotoxin that can be toxic to people, dogs and livestock, can be invasive

 

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/albizia-julibrissin/

https://homeguides.sfgate.com/insect-pests-wintercreeper-24015.html

https://homeguides.sfgate.com/old-mimosa-tree-before-blooms-68679.html

https://www.eclecticschoolofherbalmedicine.com/the-tree-of-collective-happiness/

https://www.monrovia.com/mimosa-tree.html

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2006774/