Mimosa pudica
sensitive plant
Overview
Mimosa pudica is a low-growing perennial in the pea family, usually 6-18 inches (15-45 cm) tall and spreading 12-36 inches (30-90 cm) wide, often grown as an annual outside the tropics. The bipinnate leaves are divided into 10-26 small leaflets per pinna, and they fold inward within seconds of being touched, shaken, or warmed, reopening after several minutes as cells at the leaf base lose water. Slender stems carry scattered recurved prickles 2-3 mm long. From summer into fall the plant produces round pink to lilac flower heads about 0.4-0.5 inch (10-12 mm) across, each made of many thread-like stamens. Flowering is followed by clusters of flat, bristly seed pods 0.4-0.8 inch (1-2 cm) long that break into single-seeded segments. Mimosa pudica grows quickly in warm, humid conditions and self-seeds freely, which has made it a weed of pastures, roadsides, and crop fields across the tropics; it is listed as invasive in parts of Asia, Africa, and the Pacific. The stems and roots contain mimosine, an amino acid that can poison grazing livestock in quantity. Growth slows below 60F (16C), and frost kills the top growth.
Native Range
Mimosa pudica is native to tropical South and Central America, including Brazil and the surrounding lowlands. It has naturalized across tropical Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Pacific islands, where it grows in disturbed ground below about 4,000 feet (1,200 m).Suggested Uses
Grown as a novelty or educational plant for its touch-sensitive leaves, often in containers, terrariums, and classroom settings. In frost-free regions it spreads as a fast groundcover, though its prickles and weedy habit limit garden use. It also fixes nitrogen as a cover in some tropical farming systems.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height6" - 1'6"
Width/Spread1' - 3'
Bloom Information
Flowering runs mainly from summer through fall in warm climates and nearly year-round in frost-free tropical regions. The pink to pale purple globe-shaped heads open over several weeks, each lasting only a day or two. Bees and other small insects visit the flowers for pollen.
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
pink to lilacFoliage Description
greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 6-10 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
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Mimosa pudica grows in full sun to part shade and prefers consistently moist, well-drained soil with a pH of 5.5-7.5. Warmth is the main requirement: growth is vigorous above 70F (21C) and stalls below 60F (16C). In climates colder than USDA zone 9 it is treated as an annual or overwintered indoors in bright light. Soil kept evenly moist but not waterlogged supports steady growth, with light feeding during the growing season. Seed-grown plants flower within 3-4 months, and self-sown seedlings emerge readily in warm soil. Under glass, spider mites and aphids are the most common pests.Pruning
Little pruning is needed. Pinching the stem tips produces a bushier shape, and leggy growth can be cut back in spring. Spent stems and seed pods can be removed to limit self-seeding.Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 1 gallons