Sunshine Mimosa

Mimosa strigillosa

Sunshine mimosa is also called Powderpuff and can be found from St. Lucie County Florida through Georgia and west to Texas. For a map Click here. The stems lie flat on the ground and root every inch or two.

I have found this growing along State Road 70 near I95 where it follows the St. Lucie River floodplain and also on the beach on the west side of A1A in St Augustine. This was during a drought when all other plants around it were brown.

Mimosa, which I call Mori Vivi, can take an amazing amount of abuse from foot traffic to having cars occasionally parked on it. The fine leaves curl up when touched, which fascinates adults.

The one inch round pink fragrant flowers on a thin stalk are a favorite for little girls and big men to make miniature bouquets out of. They’re nice to put in a perfume bottle and set in the bathroom for guests.

The only things this plant doesn’t like are long term flooding and shade. It will crawl 50 feet away from a shady spot to find sunlight. Ten feet of growth a year with branching can be expected. If planted three feet apart the ground will be covered in a year.

Lay a four inch layer of mulch down first and push some aside as you plant. In one week the new growth will be spreading across the surface. You will need to hand pull weeds to keep a monoculture. If you don’t want the extra work, just plant in your lawn and mow as usual or weed eat taller weeds.

During the winter there will be no new growth and the old leaves will almost disappear. But, first thing in the spring the new, light green growth and flowers will brighten your mood.

Bees and some butterflies visit the flowers and the little yellow butterfly lays its eggs on the new growth. There are no thorns and the plant won’t trip you. If used as a border, plant three or more feet from the edge and cut runners that creep out into the roadway or sidewalk.

Mori Vivi is well behaved with its neighbors and can be planted under any clumping flowers or shrubs. It will not clamor over them. Try planting along a lake edge or mixing with your favorite wildflowers. Dune Sunflower is not a good companion due to its spreading growth habit.

How about Gaillardia, Fog Fruit, Seaside Goldenrod, Spiderwort, Coontie, Southern Beebalm, Coreopsis, Twinflower, Pineland Petunia and Havana Scullcap? It also makes a nice groundcover under Lignum Vitae and low shrubs like Joewood. Just make sure it gets sunlight.

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