Mimosa Tree: 3 Benefits of Growing Mimosa Trees

The mimosa tree (Albizia julibrissin) is a flowering plant in the Fabaceae or legume family. Also called Persian silk tree, Lenkoran tree, Chinese silk tree, and pink silk tree, the mimosa tree is a species native to several regions of Asia.

Mimosa trees are small, deciduous trees that grow to a height between sixteen and fifty-two feet. They have green, bipinnate⁠—or fern-like⁠—leaves, which close slowly at night and during rainfall. The tree produces showy and fragrant pink flowers that resemble pompoms and grow in small clusters that resemble bursts of silky pink threads. The pink blooms grow throughout the summer months and feature long stamens that attract butterflies and hummingbirds.

Mimosa trees are sometimes considered problem plants. Here are three things to consider when growing the tree:

1. 1. Mimosa trees are an invasive species in North America. They are fast-growing trees that spread rapidly on roadsides and empty lots. The mimosa’s rapid growth often crowds out native plants, which disrupts the ecosystem where the tree takes root. Mimosa trees displace the caterpillars and other insects that grow on native vegetation and provide food for birds and other wildlife.
2. 2. Mimosa trees are messy and destructive. Mimosas will not only leave a mess in your yard to clean up each season, but they can also harm nearby plant life and cause damage to property. When mimosa flowers fade, they produce hundreds of flat brown seed pods, approximately four to eight inches in length. Each pod contains mimosa seeds, which cause new growth wherever they land. The shade created by mimosas blocks out sunlight, which causes grass and shrubbery to wither and die. The thick root systems of mimosas also break through driveways and patios as they grow in diameter from the base of the tree trunk.
3. 3. Mimosa trees are short-lived. These trees are susceptible to mimosa webworms and fusarium, a fungus that causes mimosa vascular wilt. Their brittle limbs often break, contributing to their notoriously short lives.

There are several benefits to mimosa trees, including:

1. 1. Beauty. From late spring to early summer, the trees’ beautiful powder puff flowers are in bloom. Though their flowers are usually different shades of pink, mimosa trees also produce blooms with an array of other colors, including red and white, all of which attract pollinators like bees and birds. A type of mimosa tree known as ‘Summer Chocolate’ generates purple and bronze leaves.
2. 2. Easy to grow. Mimosa trees grow in nearly all soil types and in conditions ranging from full sun to partial shade. While drought-tolerant plants, they produce fuller, greener leaves in moist soil.
3. 3. Shade. The canopy of the mimosa tree creates pleasingly shaded areas in yards. They are unique among shade trees because of the shape of their leaves, which create a dappled effect as they filter light on the areas they shade.

Mimosa trees grow well in USDA Hardiness Zones 6–9, which covers southern New York to Florida, as well as the Gulf Coast. Though they grow best in warm climates like South Carolina, they are also cold tolerant and survive temperatures that drop below zero degrees Fahrenheit.

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