Mimosa Trees - who wanted them? **MAIL BY 12 TODAY 7/6 LAST CALL!**

[HennysMom]

Okay.. so I promised mimosa saplings to those that wanted them.. problem is... I CANNOT get them out of the ground and keep them living long enough to ship them

So.. my best alternative is that I can send seeds from the trees to those that want them. My mimosa trees bear light pink flowers. I will go out today and gather all that I can to those that want them.

Of course.. if you live close enough to me (I'm about 20 minutes from Pantop - near Charlottesville - just off of Rt 15 & 22 - outside of Orange VA) - you are welcome to set up a time and come to my property and dig up all the mimosa trees your little heart desires. I currently have 3 that are about 3 feet tall that I'm about ready to cut down and they are in my boxwoods (where they always grow

) so..you'd have to climb inside of them and try to dig them out without killing my boxwoods. I have several other little mimosa saplings throughout the property (stubborn tree!!) as well if you want to dig those up.

Please PM me if you want to come out for a live sapling so we can set up a time and date next week - otherwise, I'll get seeds from the flowers and mail those (much easier).

These things grow FAST - so make sure you want a mimosa tree -they're pretty, but they are evasive.

Deb

 

[HarlansHollowFarms]

I would love some, but I really need to do a quick search to see if they would even survive in zone 3. I will get back to you.

 

[Schultz]

Ohh I love Mimosa trees. You just reminded me I have seeds I need to get started. My granny had a few and I have always loved them!!

 

[Intheswamp]

The mimosa tree (silk tree) was imported from Asia. Be aware that it is considered an invasive species and a pest. They are definitely a nusiance down here in Alabama. Many, many seeds are produced each year and these seeds can lie dormant in the ground for YEARS until the soil is scratched up a bit...then the trees rapidly begin growing. Nothing that I know of will eat these seeds. Being listed as a nusiance, there may even be laws against transporting them.????

The silk tree, or mimosa, is a small tree of the legume family. It produces attractive pink flowers and will make a small shade tree of 10-50 feet in a few years. The mimosa produces abundant pods of hard, waxy seeds that float on water and remain viable for many years. It can also spread by root sprouts. Thick stands of mimosa will quickly invade old fields, fence rows and other idle land. Silk tree fruit and foliage are of no apparent value to wildlife, but this exotic tree out-competes native species that are. Small mimosa trees can be pulled up and individual trees removed, but large patches of silk tree will require herbicide treatments and possibly mechanical removal.


Their nusiance rating probably falls behind kudzu, privet hedge, and cogongrass but they are definitely a pain.

Having said all of that, hummingbirds LOVE them.

Take care,
Ed

 

[HarlansHollowFarms]

Quote:
I will take invasive any day if it will grow here!

 

[Chicks_N_Horses]

Although it makes gorgeous blossoms and they smell so sweet it is a BIG pest here. We are overrun with them. They pop up everywhere and you can not kill them no matter what! I am surprised you can't get yours to live. I have take the limbs and stripped the leaves off and used the sticks as stakes for some of my flowers and within a weeks time the stick will start to sprout green off of it! Crazy....I love them but hate them at the same time.

 

[HennysMom]

Quote:
Oh I can get mine to live... I just cant get the saplings to stay alive long enough to ship them

to those that wanted them thats the issue.

Seeds are the next best thing.

I have 4 very large mimosa trees way back in the woods and I swear the birds eat the seeds and drop them or something..they pop up in the oddest places!


FOR THOSE THAT WANT THEM JUST PM ME YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS. THERE IS NO CHARGE FOR THE SEEDS!

 

[HarlansHollowFarms]

Assuming you have the Albiza[/b], I can't have one

They are only hardy to Zone 6b.

 

[HennysMom]

Quote:
Harlan,

Yes, that is correct

it is an Albiza. Small feathery pink pom pom flowers that smell like honeysuckle but sweeter. The leaves close up at night and then reopen in the morning.

Here are pictures for all those that PM'd me and asked for seeds - so that you know what it will look like when its grown and producing. I have about 200 seeds that were harvested earlier this year (they're viable for years) and will send each person 1 pod (holds around 8-10 seeds in each pod). So far I have 4 people that have requsted seeds. If I dont have any more than 4 people requesting, I will send more to the 4 that have asked.

Flower and leaves: (each flower area has about 10 flower pom poms on them)

here is how big they can get: (this one has flowered)

So - now that everyone has seen them, read the info on them and know what they're getting into LOL - again, just PM me if you'd like some seeds as I will be mailing out on Monday for those that have already PM'd me.

 

[Intheswamp]

The mimosa is a pretty tree. And as I mentioned earlier, hummingbirds love them. Once established they can't be killed by simply cutting them down, they'll simply resprout with a stronger roostock....basically herbicide is required. They are softwood with no really useable wood produced (crooked, bent, bowed, etc.). Relatively shortlived trees when compared to oaks, maples, pecan, even plantation pine.

If you look at HennysMom's bottom photo it looks like the tree is in bloom...each of those blooms (and they bloom in clusters) will create a seedpod. There can be several thousand seedpods on a single tree...multiply thousands by the ~8-10 seeds per pod and you have the possibility of a mass explosion of young mimosa saplings coming up next year. With this high production of seeds and being as the seeds indeed will stay viable for years (I've seen'em sprout 40+ years later!) you can imagine what kind of possibility there is for nusiance plant infestation.

The mimosa is a semi-tropical plant and thus will not survive well in a northern climate but will florish and do very well in the southern regions...where it is a nusiance.

Not trying to rain on a parade here and it's a very nice gesture by HennysMom to offer these seeds, but I don't want someone going to the trouble of "nurturing" along something that ends up really being a problem on their (or their neighbor's) property.

Best wishes,
Ed