Mexican Mimosa
Mimosa distachya
- Native to:
- Aruba, Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, Netherlands Antilles, United States
Cels, Jacques Martin; Redouté, Henri-Joseph; Ventenat, Etienne Pierre
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Genus:
- Mimosa
- Species:
- Mimosa distachya
- USDA Symbol:
- MIDI12
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Shrub
- Height:
- 300 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
- Bloom Months:
- mar,apr,may,jun
- Bloom Colors:
- pink, white
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies
- Fragrant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from roots following fire; typical of riparian mimosas in fire-prone regions.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- native to open, dry areas with poor soil
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Scarification:
- Seed coat scarification required before sowing
- Germination Time:
- 7–30 days
- Notes:
- Hard seed coat requires scarification (mechanical or hot water treatment) for best germination rates.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI