npsot_bluebonnet_full_color

Powderpuff

Mimosa strigillosa

Other common name(s):

Sensitive Plant, Sunshine Mimosa

Family:

Fabaceae (Pea Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

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East Central Texas Plains, Edwards Plateau, Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, Texas Blackland Prairies, Western Gulf Coastal Plain
Bastrop Lost Pines, Floodplains and Low Terraces2, Southern Post Oak Savanna
Balcones Canyonlands
Coastal Sand Plain, Floodplains and Low Terraces4, Laguna Madre Barrier Island and Coastal Marshes, Lower Rio Grande Alluvial Floodplain, Lower Rio Grande Valley, Mid-Coast Barrier Islands and Coastal Marshes, Northern Humid Gulf Coastal Prairies, Southern Subhumid Gulf Coastal Prairies, Texas-Louisiana Coastal Marshes
Floodplains and Low Terraces1, Northern Blackland Prairie, Southern Blackland Prairie
Flatwoods, Southern Tertiary Uplands

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Groundcover, Herbaceous

Height

0.75
to
1
ft.

Spread

1
to
2
ft.

Leaf Retention

Semi Evergreen

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Sand, Well Drained

Light Requirement

Sun, Part Shade

Water Requirement

Low

Native Habitat

Grassland

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

Pink

Bloom Season

Spring, Summer

Seasonal Interest

Seeds, Forage, Nectar, Pollen, Larval Host, Flowers

Wildlife Benefit

Browsers, Butterflies, Birds, Nectar Insects, Bees

Maintenance

Once established, the deep root system helps control erosion and makes it drought tolerant. Makes a good perennial ground cover. The plant is also recommended as a turf grass replacement because of its ability to withstand some foot traffic and mowing, although the stems are prickly. Stems can become very long and sprawling. Can be trimmed to create a denser form. Propagation: root cutting, stem cutting, seed.

Comments

Blooms March-August. A low groundcover with sprawling, prickly stems, that can reach 100 feet long over time. Like other species of Mimosa, it has tiny, sensitive compound leaves that can fold in a matter of seconds after being disturbed. Tiny flowers occur in, pink, puffy, ball-like clusters. The fruit is a flattened pod turning from green to brown as it matures. Larval host: Little Sulphur Butterfly (Eurema lisa).

References

1) Griffith, Bryce, Omernick & Rodgers (2007). Ecoregions of Texas. 2) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=MIST2. 3) http://bonap.net/TDC/Image/Map?taxonType=Species&taxonId=11453&locationType=County&mapType=Normal. 4) https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=26791#null, 5) Norcini and Aldrich. “Native Wildflowers: Mimosa strigillosa”. University of Florida The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. 6) https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/165400-Mimosa-strigillosa. 7) https://garden.org/plants/view/83360/Powderpuff-Mimosa-strigillosa/, 8) chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://plants.usda.gov/DocumentLibrary/plantguide/pdf/pg_mist2.pdf,
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