by Lydia Holley June 3, 2024
Ever since I was a child, I have loved mimosa trees (Albizia julibrissin). Its pink, fluffy flowers remind me of fans, and its fern-like leaves contributes to its delicate looks. Native to Asia, its other common name is silk tree.
With mimosa trees in full bloom now, they are beautiful to behold. The nectar-rich flowers attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees. It has an open canopy, umbrella shape, and fairly small stature. Like legumes, it fixes nitrogen in the soil, allowing it to grow in poor soils. It prefers acidic soil, but will grow in soils up to a 7.94 pH. It is also not picky about soil, growing in sand, silt, or clay. It does prefer soils high in phosphorous, so if you are growing this tree, you may want to do a soil test to see if you should add a fertilizer with phosphorous.
They are also drought tolerant and need so little care they can be seen thriving on abandoned homesteads. Mimosa trees tolerate shade, but full sun encourages more flowering and its seedlings can be easily controlled by mowing. It seems like it has some wonderful qualities.
But also since I was a child, I have heard mimosa trees were bad. Perhaps that is because it is reportedly toxic to livestock and dogs. However, USDA states it has been studied as a feed for goats and sheep with no signs of toxicity, though both sheep and goats seemed to prefer the taste of other feed.
Mimosa trees also have a reputation for being invasive. Its seed pods can produce thousands of seeds per year and it can spread from its roots. It is considered invasive in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware.
Native trees which you may wish to plant instead of a mimosa tree include red buckeye (although its seeds are also reportedly poisonous to humans), redbud, pink dogwood, or American fringetree. Then you can enjoy your native trees while admiring the mimosa trees in other people’s yards. That way, you can love it from afar.
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