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Mimosa, Umbrella Tree
Albizia
julibrissin
Identification
Small to medium sized tree up to 40 feet tall. Leaves are bi-pinnately
compound and slowly close up when touched. The large, showy flowers
are pink to red and have a ‘fluffy’ appearance. Fruit is a seed pod
resembling a pea about 2 inches in length. The light brown bark is
smooth or nearly smooth.
Origin
Asia
Habitat
Hardy in a wide range of soil conditions, mimosa grows well in full
to part sun at low to middle elevations. Not shade tolerant or
extremely cold tolerant. Once planted as an ornamental, it is often
observed in abandoned lots, roadsides, and fields in urban settings.
Also grows well in riparian areas and forest edges.
Ecological Threat
Mimosa threatens early successional and riparian habitats. It grows
quickly in these open areas and produces immense crops of highly
viable seed annually. It has almost no wildlife or erosion control
value, and the wood is weak and light. Mimosa invades natural areas
and takes up space and nutrients essential to the survival of native
vegetation that produces food and cover for wildlife. Hence its
name, it also produces a large shaded area, robbing early
successional native herbaceous plant growth of sunlight necessary
for their survival.
Recommended Native Alternatives
-
Eastern
redbud (Cercis Canadensis)
-
Fringetree (Chionanthus
virginicus)
-
Black locust
(Robinia pseudoacacia)
These pages are designed to give the
layperson a general overview of non-native invasive plants commonly
found in the upper Hiwassee River watershed. For more comprehensive
and technical information about a particular species, visit one of
the web sites from our
Links
page. |
