Mimosa

[Tom Hook]

As seen in my yard this afternoon.

[Jakov Minić]

Tom, you are presenting your yard with style

[Mike G]

Of course the secret is to touch the leaves.

[Tom Hook]

Jakov and Mike, thanks for commenting.

Mike: this Mimosa doesn't recoil when you touch it like the ones that were in my yard when I lived in Africa as a Peace Corps volunteer many years ago.

(By the way I made a mistake and put this posting in the wrong place. Wanted Flora and Fauna not Future NG Events! Sadly, I tried to erase it and repost but couldn't do it).

[Mike G]

Tom, that's a shame but you have shot a lovely pattern!

[HCS]

I think it is a cracking representation of you garden.

Just PM one of the mods and ask nicely, they'll move the thread to the appropriate place.

[Tom Hook]

Thanks Hans, I'm glad you like it.

It appears that our friend, Jakov, has corrected my error (I must be getting old).

[David H. Hartman]

Deceptively pretty. It's an invasive species.

[Tom Hook]

Dave,

I don't define it is an invasive. Here in the East, to have one in your yard is a rarity because the climate perhaps is unsuitable for the pervasive spreading of the species. I have never noticed seedlings either existing much less taking root. That quality of "taking over" is not an issue here.

50 years ago, I would visit my Grandmother on the coast of Connecticut and she had one on either side of her front door and would nurture them fearing that the next winter freeze would do them in.

I suppose invasive can be a synonym for "not indigenous". Clearly Mimosas are not indigenous to inland Connecticut. Now if we could do something about the Starlings, House Sparrows, Barberries and so many others which truly are a worrisome infestation and have taken root and spread like the plague. Is the Mimosa defined as such where you live?

Thanks for bringing up this issue. Knowing that it was an exotic has up-to-now appealed to me. I will now view this tree in a somewhat different light. By the way, the tree was here when we moved into this house 14 years ago. Perhaps it has the tenacity of a true invasive after all. It is simply waiting for the climate to change another degree or two in its favor and then it will take over. Egad, seeds do fly however beautiful or vexing their progeny might be!

Cheers,

Tom


added edit:

I have done some research after writing my first note to you. It appears that invasive is a correct description of the Mimosa. When our next winter storm crushingly demasts it as happened a few years ago, I may just take it down for good even though it is "deceptively pretty".

[David H. Hartman]

Dave,

I don't define it is an invasive. Here in the East, to have one in your yard is a rarity because the climate perhaps is unsuitable for the pervasive spreading of the species. I have never noticed seedlings either existing much less taking root. That quality of "taking over" is not an issue here. ...

I have a friend who's neighbor had maybe four of them. One was next to the neighbor's house and about one meter or less from the property line. The sees fly around the neighbor hood and the seedlings spring up in the hundreds. This is So. California so it must be the climate. The neighbor's tree was breaking up their roof so they finally cut the close one down. Another one dumped junk on the neighbors trees so they parked in front of my friend's house to get away from their tree. They cut that one down too much to the relief of my friend. She just hates them. Here they do spring up everywhere even in nursery pots at the opposite end of her property. The sees can germinate up to two years after being dropped. I pull them up from time to time. I don't know where the sees come from.

I once read an article where the writer, an arborist, was asked, "When is the best time to prune a mimosa." His answer was anytime you have a chainsaw handy.

Dave

[Tom Hook]

I once read an article where the writer, an arborist, was asked, "When is the best time to prune a mimosa." His answer was anytime you have a chainsaw handy.

Dave

Priceless quote! You have turned my head on the merits of our Mimosa. I will probably now begin to find seedlings everywhere I look when before I saw none 

[Fons Baerken]

Very nice natural pattern

[Akira]

Wonderful geometry.  Beautiful pattern in the nature!

[David H. Hartman]

Tom,

I really like the photograph. The pattern is striking. Not just the pattern of the leaves but also the composition. The way they over-lap. The mimosa is really beautiful while in bloom. 

Best,

Dave

[Hugh_3170]

I can personally recommend Stihl chainsaws and I am also quite impressed with the latest models from Husqvarna. 

Priceless quote! You have turned my head on the merits of our Mimosa. I will probably now begin to find seedlings everywhere I look when before I saw none