A couple of years ago I wrote about two Mimosa species that we have in the area. They are sensitive to the touch, and I was quite taken by them, at first. Now that we have a few good healthy stands here and there, and now that I’ve walked barefoot upon them, and now that the dogs carefully avoid them, I’m a little less enamored. Here’s a sample stand:
And here’s a representative thorn:
We now have plans to remove at least the stands near the house.
Nevertheless, I continue to marvel at how the leaves shrink upon touch. And now I’ve read a very interesting post at Niches explaining exactly how and why the leaves shrink. He has some nice pictures, too. Definitely worth reading if you’re at all curious about this famous sensitive plant.
No, I’m not! All I care about is getting rid of the nasty little beggars!
In Indonesia we have lots of Mimosa pudica growing wild, but I’ve never seen the other Mimosa on the post you linked about. It’s wonderful to see another species that behaves so similar but looks so different!
I love them. You play pranks with them (literally, kick them gently) while walking on the countryside. We call them “putri malu” which means “princess shy”.
Agro,
Thanks for your comment – I can see playing pranks with them, as long as you’re wearing shoes!
Nice to hear from Indonesia. I certainly did not realize M. pudica was there, although I’ve read that it has spread to many places in the world and can be invasive. If my plant is indeed M. pudica, it’s supposed to be native here, but it acts like an invasive plant in our yard.
Mary
My landscaper nearly had a heart attack when he saw a small bit of this ground mimosa, which had spread, apparently by seed, from the neighbor’s yard. He grabbed some Roundup, went next door, and eradicated the lot. Then he carefully dug up the few spots in my garden. He’s a professional (from Australia) and advised that this is one of most noxious, invasive plants on the planet!
Hi Bonnie,
Thanks for that viewpoint! Whew! Before I start using Roundup, I’m going to try another recommendation, this from La Gringa in Honduras. She suggests vinegar. Another friends simply pulled out everything in sight and seems to have succeeded.
Interesting to know the “sensitive” plant’s reputation.
Mary
They have incredibly deep and complex roots, so I can’t imagine that digging up more than a few scattered plants will do the trick. I’m intrigued by the idea that vinegar might be a weed killer, however. I do so hate using Roundup on anything.
Hello! I’m a SCAD film graduate student, I plan to shoot my film in later March.
My script is call “Mimosa Pudica” I got the idea of the story from my childhood in Taiwan.
When I was little, I used to play this grass a lot.
I wonder is there anyway that I can contact you, because one scene of my movie will be a little girl in a filed who touches Mimosa, I’m looking for location and also this plant.
I will be very very appreciate your help
Thank you so much and have a good day!
I’m really late in seeing this post but couldn’t help wondering if indeed your Mimosa Pudica was going to be on film. Is it/was it?
Also, when we first bought our property in Cerro Azul and began cleaning the lot there was a lot of this plant that came up. I used the dig it up and/or pull it out and/or cut it off method. In general it worked but I think, as one of the comments implied, it comes back if you don’t get the whole root and they are deep. I have it mostly under control now though.
I do like walking by some of it, if I see it around, and give it a little kick to watch the leaves close.
Michael – Hi! –
Haven’t heard any more about the film, so I suspect the answer is No.
Good for you for persisting and getting your mimosa under control. I’m not as enamored of it now as I was when I wrote the post because I have seen how it can spread and because the dogs hate it. We’ve worked at it in bits and pieces and will probably do so for the rest of our lives!
Meantime, I do like watching the leaves close, too. But we have a few ornamental trees in the mimosa subfamily that do the same thing and they’re not quite so nasty and they certainly are not invasive. Alas they, too, have thorns. Oh, well.
Take care,
Mary
I’m looking for an effective control of this noxious weed – Mimosa pudica, as it is everywhere!! The birds love their seeds and shite them everywhere, thus spreading them. The thorns/prickles are sharp and, like other posters have said, they have a deep tap root and require padded gloves or a wrench to pull them out at the base.
Here in Hawai’i, they get into everything and are highly invasive. They’re even on the noxious list of weeds of several countries and states in the US….. yet, somehow, retailers continue to offer them for sale as if they’re cute and adorable.
Has anyone found an effective chemical control, short of Round-Up, that I can use? Please advise.
Thanks!
Hi Sean,
I’ve learned from sad experience that they’re highly invasive here, as well. The only effective control I’ve heard of is manually digging up the roots, repeatedly, until the plant is eradicated. One reader did suggest vinegar, but I have not succeeded with that. If any other reader knows of anything, please do let us all know.
Thanks.
Mary