Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Mimosa Tree - To Prize or Despise?


     Friends always remark on the beauty of the tree that graces our front yard and we do agree that it is gorgeous. It is covered with pretty pink flower puffs that make the area smell heavenly, it attracts dozens of hummingbirds, and creates an interesting contrast with the neighbor's Golden Rain tree. However...


there are two reasons we have begun to dislike this tree. Reason one is that those pretty flowers begin to drop in early July and they drop continuously in profuse amounts until September. The ground becomes carpeted quickly and the flowers turn brown, staining the concrete and smothering the grass so that it is necessary to use a rake/leaf blower at least weekly. Cars parked anywhere near the tree are identifiable by the decaying flowers on windshield and hood. Reason two is that the seed pods fall just as profusely and germinate easily so baby trees sprout readily in every available piece of ground and even in sidewalk cracks, much like noxious weeds. (The photo below was taken one day after a major cleanup!)

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