Would anyone like some mimosa, silk tree, seeds? It is that time of year again. I grew up with them, so I've always been pretty casual about them. But time goes on, and the old neighborhood is changing. People are cutting down the trees and cramming houses in every nook and cranny. And the beautiful silk trees of my childhood are all gone around here now...except for one.
So, anyone want some seeds, just for old tiimes sake? I'm not on the address exchange, so you'd have to d-mail addresses to me.
Oh, the Dave's link describing the plant is Mimosa Tree, Silk Tree 'Rosea'
Albizia julibrissin. Pink cotton-candy flowers, bean pods in autumn, somewhat fragile as a tree - you wouldn't put heavy swings or hang heavy pots from it. Bark tends to crack, and ants are a pest to it. That said, it is beautiful, historical, and old-fashioned. I think I heard somewhere that Thomas Jefferson had something to do with them, and China. Beyond that, my history knowledge gets fuzzy. The picture in the plant files by Kelli is the one that looks like it. Exactly like it, in fact.
CLOSED: Mimosa seed
We have them running loose down here, they're invasive in SC and GA. Nice looking tree but runs wild given the chance.
Well, they haven't run as wild as the housing explosion here. I can remember when those trees were everywhere here. Now, there's only one in the old neighborhood. The very last one.
And Core, there's a LOT of people here at Dave's who love passies. And what can be more invasive than a passie? I had one that nearly took over my yard! Even a machette couldn't tame it! It took me years to get things under control again. (control is defined as all passies back in the pots and out of the lawn).
Silktree / Albizia julibrisin is invasive in Virginia, too. And lots of other states:
http://www.na.fs.fed.us/fhp/invasive_plants/weeds/silk-tree-mimosa_.pdf
It's not listed as invasive here, but I have to weed them all the time and the nearest tree is a few blocks away. The species got 26 negatives in plantfiles, and the one you mention, 'Rosea', got a positive but that poster said it grows by the roadside where they live - proof of its invasiveness.
Tell you what, I'll swap you whatever seeds I have that you might want for them, just to keep them from spreading. I'll d-mail you a list tomorrow.
Mike
Well, one man's weed is another man's treasure...
Claypa,
The whole POINT is to keep the tree from becoming extinct...
Read that U.S. Forest Service link I posted above - if anything is going extinct, it's our native species in habitats that this tree is taking over! That's why the forest service and a number of states consider this tree a weed. If it stayed where it's planted, it wouldn't be a problem. It's an all too common road side weed that is costing our country money to eradicate.
Gardeners should not contribute to the problem.