Fragrant mimosas are a lovely, sprawling, intricately-branched shrub 6′ tall and 8′ wide. The long slender branches are covered with delicate, bright green foliage and are loaded with fragrant puff ball pink blooms in the early summer. Showy, multi-colored bunches of seed pods decorate mimosa summer into late fall. A proud Texas native, fragrant mimosa is a perennial deciduous shrub most commonly found in central and west Texas.
Fragrant mimosa (Mimosa borealis), and the close relative cat claw mimosa (Mimosa aculeaticarpa), both have proven to be an extremely versatile plants, offering multiple benefits as hedges. Once established along a fence line, mimosas survive extreme heat and harsh conditions such as freezing temperatures, drought, insects and disease. Even if the top of the plant is damaged, it will colonize and grow back from the roots, making it very long lived.
Mimosa will thrive in a variety of soil types and likes full sun and even partial shade. Even though it can tolerate trimming, an established mimosa hedge needs almost no maintenance as it prefers to stay in its 6×8 graceful form. The multiple arching branches maintain a lush full appearance.
A variety of small wildlife species also love mimosa. Mimosa thickets provide thermal cover and shelter, seeds for birds, and nectar for bees and butterflies. Established along a fence line, mimosa forms an important wildlife corridor for animals of all sizes to move along discreetly. Deer and livestock do not tend to browse mimosa, leaving it for the benefit of smaller creatures.
The environmental advantages of mimosas are plenty. Mimosas have long, deep taproots which absorb storm waters into the ground. These roots clean and filter the storm water and help replenish underground water supplies. Reducing rain water runoff lowers flooding risks and controls soil erosion. Being in the legume family, mimosas are also nitrogen fixing which improves the soil. The lacy green leaves of mimosas improve air quality by reducing pollution.
But there is a very good reason why you don’t have this very attractive plant in your yard. The long, elegant branches are lined with multiple small thorns that resemble cat claws curving backwards. These very sharp thorns can latch onto your clothing or your skin like Velcro and easily damage whatever it captures. An established mimosa hedge will deter even the most determined intruder, collecting DNA and clothing samples at any attempt.
Ornamental mimosas have many attractive features and locally grown plants are adapted to the humid Houston climate. Thornscapes is your source for multi functional home and business security barriers that thrive in the Houston area. Thornscapes has a variety of complimentary shrub species that can be planted with the mimosa to provide greater biodiversity and visual interest in a security hedge.