Dan's Papers - July 11, 2008 - It's Time for a Mimosa

At the Riverhead Speedway one Saturday night I spied a large Mimosa tree in full bloom that was hanging over the concession stand. It was really large, one of the biggest I have ever seen, and perhaps it was the abundance of carbon dioxide and heat emanating from the track that has kept it in good health for so long. While others were waiting in line for a pretzel or a drink I was examining how the flowers bud and bloom on the tree.

This is one of my favorite trees. Other people consider Mimosa, or Persian Silk Trees, to be invasive pests because of their abundant seed production. Frequently people think that they are dead because they take so long to leaf out in the spring. But once they bloom the fragrance is divine and the flowers well, they remind me of the mules that Phyllis Diller used to wear along with her feather boas.

Albizia julibrissin, as horticulturists know the Mimosa, is related to Acacias and has a distinctly exotic and tropical look. It was originally native to the near east of Iran and extending to Japan in its natural habitat. In 1745 the plant was introduced to the United States and it is now found through warmer climates in the East and South and throughout the West Coast. It has even been cultivated to produce larger pink flowered varieties and distinct brown leaves which contrast with the flowers. The blossoms look like a puff, or an upside down tassel, pink at the tips and white at the center.

It has not been offered extensively in local nurseries for many years and like the Sassafras, the Mimosa is usually the first to get cut down when people build or renovate houses. But there are still a few around and they can tolerate very harsh conditions. Like the Catalpa, another favorite weed tree, you can find Mimosas growing right on the bay. Salt spray, strong winds and sand don't seem to inhibit their growth at all. They eventually have an umbrella like shape that can create some nice dappled shade over a patio or lawn, but when the flowers drop, like a wisteria, it can get a little messy.

The fragrance is light and delicious, which is probably why a drink made of champagne, orange juice and triple sec was named after it. Not to mention the pretty color. Mimosas get covered with flowers that humming birds and butterflies love.

I bought two a few years ago that I practically stumbled over in Buckley's nursery. These are a new variety called "Chocolate" which the nursery owners bought from Monrovia Nursery as an experiment, they are an improved variety that is resistant to the wilt that can affect the original strain. The long fine leaves, which close at night and open during the day, are an amazing array of colors.

For now they are in pots, at 4' high they do not have a hint yet of the wide, spreading structure they will one day attain. But they have a character unto themselves, of horizontal branches and ferny leaves that cast fantastic oriental like shadows on to the stucco walls behind them. Last winter I put them in the ground, and will continue to re-pot them in the spring for some years to come. Their growth will be limited from being in the pots, but I like the way they look now and actually haven't found the perfect spot in the yard for them yet.

Dead head the roses, cut them back and fertilize. Dig up the peonies with a spade fork to avoid cutting any roots. Give them a good dousing of a liquid rooting hormone when you are done and then repeat that once a week for a few weeks and they will perform better next spring than if they are dug in the fall. Only do this when you are feeling patient, and at the end of the day to prevent any accidental cutting of the long tuberous roots or wilting on the noonday sun.

For more than 20 years, April Gonzales has been involved in garden design, installation and maintenance on the East End, as well as specimen plant scouting and site supervision for landscape architects.