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Mimosa spp.

sensitive plants

Fabaceae

Tropical and subtropical Americas, with greatest diversity in Brazil and Mexico

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Drought Tolerant Container Friendly

Native to North America

SunFull Sun

WaterLow · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 9–11

Overview

Mimosa spp. is a genus of about 400 species of herbs, shrubs, vines, and a few small trees in the legume family, Fabaceae, native mainly to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas. Many species have feathery, bipinnate leaves divided into many small leaflets, and the leaves of some, including M. pudica, fold shut within seconds of being touched or shaken. The flowers are tiny but massed into rounded, fluffy heads of pink, lilac, or white, made conspicuous by long projecting stamens. These ripen into flat, segmented pods that break into one-seeded sections, often along bristly margins. Stems are frequently armed with small prickles. M. pudica, the sensitive plant, is a low, sprawling species grown as a curiosity for its moving leaves and naturalized as a weed across the tropics. Other species form thorny shrubs and thickets. The genus contains the amino acid mimosine, which is toxic to livestock and to people in quantity. Plants grow quickly in warmth and are frost-tender.

Native Range

Native mainly to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas, with the greatest diversity in Brazil and Mexico, and some species in Africa and Asia. M. pudica originates in tropical America and has spread as a weed throughout the world tropics. A few species are native to the southern United States.

Suggested Uses

M. pudica is grown as a novelty houseplant and in warm gardens for its touch-sensitive leaves, while shrubby species are used in tropical hedging and erosion control. Several are grown as nitrogen-fixing cover in warm climates.

How to Identify

Identified by feathery, bipinnate leaves and rounded, fluffy flower heads of pink to lilac with long projecting stamens. In M. pudica the leaflets fold rapidly when touched. The flat pods that split into one-seeded segments, the puffball flowers, and the often-prickly stems separate Mimosa spp. from the unrelated silk tree, which is sometimes called mimosa.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height6" - 10'

Width/Spread1' - 6'

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~12 weeks

Summer Fall

Flowering occurs through the warm months, mainly summer and autumn, and nearly year-round in frost-free climates. The fluffy pink to lilac flower heads open over a long period. Seed pods follow and ripen within a few weeks of flowering.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

pink to lilac

Foliage Description

green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun

Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam sand

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

tender

Time to Maturity

1 year to flowering

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Most species grow in full sun in well-drained soil and tolerate poor, dry ground, fixing their own nitrogen as legumes. They are frost-tender, with M. pudica grown as a tender annual or houseplant where winters are cold. Warmth and moisture drive fast growth, and several species become invasive weeds in the tropics. The mimosine in the foliage deters grazing. Spider mites and scale can affect plants grown indoors.

Pruning

Shrubby species are cut back in spring to clear frost-damaged or straggly growth and to shape the plant. M. pudica grown as an annual needs no pruning beyond pinching to keep it bushy. Thorny species are cut while dormant to ease handling.

Pruning Schedule

early spring