Mimosa Trees: Beautiful, Exotic, Aromatic -- and Threatening?

Mimosa Trees: Beautiful, Exotic, Aromatic -- and Threatening?

Mimosa Trees Are Originally from Asia

The mimosa tree, sometimes called the Persian silk tree, is a legume and can help enrich the soil where it grows. The Persian name means “night sleeper,” and in Japan it is known as the sleeping tree. That is because the bipinnate leaves fold up at night and during rainstorms.

Bipinnate simply means that instead of one undivided leaf, the leaves are separated like those of a fern or a palm frond. The flowers are anywhere from pale to deep pink and form in clusters that look like fine silk threads. They form long pods 5-7 inches long that enclose the seeds.

The technical name, Albizia julibrissin, is native to eastern and southwestern Asia, but does well in most climates here in the states. It is a fast growing ornamental tree that can reach up to 30 feet or slightly more in height.