Plant Crush : Sunshine Mimosa

For my first ever Plant Crush segment, I’m spotlighting the Sunshine Mimosa.  My first crush feature was inspired by several of new UF/IFAS Master Gardener students asking about my favorite plant.  Naturally as a plant lover, this was such a hard question to answer!  As I thought about it, Sunshine Mimosa, also scientifically known as Mimosa strigillosa, or commonly known as Powderpuff mimosa, came to mind.  So, let’s chat about why this Florida native would be a good addition for your garden or yard.   

Those of you who have sunny yards, live close to the water, and/or have limited irrigation will love Sunshine Mimosa!  I’ve seen Sunshine Mimosa thrive in many yards close or directly located on the water, like the Indian River Lagoon, St. John’s River, or Atlantic Ocean here in Hardiness Zone 9b. So I know it tolerates sunny, salty conditions super well.  But as a recommendation, I do suggest watering new mimosa plantings for the first month every two to three days till the plantings become more established.  

Having trouble with weeds in your grass?  Who hasn’t!? Sunshine Mimosa is a Florida native ground cover that spreads well, choking out those pesky weeds in your yard. It is considered a fast grower so I recommend planting two to four feet apart. 

One of my favorite things about Sunshine Mimosa is it’s durability.  We frequently walk on and mow the mimosa throughout my backyard. Once planted and established, gardeners will not need to replant in Hardiness Zone 9b and south of here.  The only complaint I’ve heard about the mimosa is if left unmanaged it can take over a yard.  But with some selective weeding or mowing, this shouldn’t be a problem.   

Another coolest benefit of planting this pretty ground cover is its nitrogen fixer properties.  Sunshine Mimosa is perfect to plant around the base of your fruit trees, like Mangos, because it minimizes the need for their annual fertilizer treatments.  This saves you money, time, and is better for the environment, especially if you live close to a water source!

In bloom (Spring through Fall in Hardiness Zone 9b), Sunshine Mimosa has some of the prettiest pink flowers!  These pink shimmery blooms are how the plant gets its nickname: the Powderpuff Mimosa.  I have it planted throughout my backyard and it’s such a magical sight with the pollinators dancing around in what looks like a mini fairytale land!

Sunshine Mimosa, also known as the Powderpuff Mimosa (I wonder why?!), in bloom. This photo shows how the mimosa fills in between the grass of my backyard.

The leaves are feathery and fern-like that are sensitive, or reactive and fold up to the touch.  Here in Hardiness Zone 9b, the leaves stay green because we very rarely get freezing conditions.  But, in north Florida I know several gardenistas and gardeners say their Sunshine Mimosa’s leaves turn brown with colder temperatures but the brilliant green coloring does come back with the warmer months. According to UF/IFAS the leaves sustain damage, or turn brown at 15 degrees or below.*

The leaves of the Sunshine Mimosa during its “dormant” season when it’s not blooming. This photo was taken in Cocoa, Florida mid January 2020, right after several weeks of cold temperatures. The temperature never got below 40 degrees, but as you can see the chillier (what we consider Winer weather) temperatures did not kill the mimosa and the leaves remain brilliant green as long as the plant doesn’t experience freezing temperatures.

Who doesn’t want to encourage more pollinators to visit their garden? Another awesome reason to add this plant to your garden is it is a larvae food source for sulphur butterfly. During the bloom season, there will be no shortage of pollinators loving up on the Sunshine Mimosa. We’ve used the Sunshine Mimosa throughout the Pollinator area of the Brevard Discovery Garden, which is beside the Brevard UF/IFAS extension in Cocoa, Florida.   

Hands down, Sunshine Mimosa is one of the prettiest and most durable ground covers I’ve used in the garden.  It isn’t a plant that is usually found in commercial Florida garden centers, but most Florida Native Nurseries carry this beauty.  I would recommend making some phone calls before counting on this plant being available year round. Hopefully you enjoyed my first Plant Crush feature and would love to hear about your Sunshine Mimosa plantings!   

Plant Bio:

Common Plant Name: Sunshine Mimosa, Powderpuff Mimosa

Scientific Name: Mimosa strigillosa

Plant Type: Flowering groundcover

Blooms: Spring through Fall (Hardiness Zone 9b)

Growth rate: Fast

Florida Native: Yes

Sun tolerant: Yes

Salt tolerant: Yes

Drought tolerant: Yes, once established

Pollinator Friendly: Yes, larvae food source for sulphur butterfly

Sources:

http://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/nassauco/files/2017/05/Mimosa.pdf