Opinions on Mimosa Trees (magnolia, snakes, nursery, south)
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[quote=denverian;35708201]Those are beautiful! I know they can be a pain, but I just love the leaves, flowers and the shape they grow into.
I have a couple Locust trees and I've noticed the leaves are quite similar to Mimosas, but no flowers, of course. I did have a couple Mimosas with brunch last Sunday[/QUOTE]
Yes, mimosa leaves and honeylocust leaves are similar, but there is one very important difference. Honeylocust leaves are "bi-pinnately compound", meaning each compound leaf has other littel compound leaves growing off the main rib. Mimosa leaves are just pinnately compound.
I worked the Master Gardener hotline today and a woman came in with a 2-ft tree branch for ID. Before I even got to the counter, I said, "Mimosa!" And she laughed and said, "Well then, I'm headed home to dig it out! I was hoping it was a honeylocust!"
Yeah, I HATE Seetgums! You see them all over the L.A. area and I suspect people plant them because they're about the only tree that will turn fall colors in the Basin. And they'll hold that color for a long time, but not at all worth it. The city I lived in had planted them all over the city in sidewalk "cutouts", but once they realized they were all getting older and cracking up the sidewalks, they had to remove them all. They were replaced with palm trees.
It's kinda odd that they would even thrive out there. They're native habitat is bottomland type areas with high rainfall and humidity.
I remembered one more thing about Mimosas. Their feeder roots grow very very thick (ours are 4-5" across) and poke up out of the surface of the soil. I am glad ours are in a berm because I can't imagine the nightmare of mowing over them.
I would quickly add Locust Tree to the list of don'ts. My neighbor had two planted on the tree lawn. Never mind that he had to replace sidewalk because the roots had heaved it up beyond repair. In the Spring, they drop an almost invisible (until it gets on your car and the ground) pollen and mercy! was I allergic to it! But the biggest drawback is the shedding in Autumn. Those teeny tiny leaves are almost impossible to rake up and the miniscule twigs to which they were attached get stuck in the leaf sucker and clog it up. It's been a year since they were removed and I continue to cut the shoots coming up in the middle of my yard.
We had Mimosa trees bordering the road when I was a teen. I moved away and I don't know what happened after that. I loved the blossoms when they were on the tree.
To each his own. I think the Thornless (podless) Honeylocust is one of the best big trees. And why rake the leaves at all? We had a gigantic one at our last house and in nine years, we never felt the need to rake its leaves.
It's kinda odd that they would even thrive out there. They're native habitat is bottomland type areas with high rainfall and humidity.
They're rare here. I grew up in the Kansas City area and I see more and more of them growing there, some in rather "wild" areas, not in people's personal lawns. But as a kid, I recall they would get some die-back afer a harsh winter.
Oddly, Mimosas were quite common in landscapes in my old neighborhood in the L.A. area. I assume people planted them because they look so tropical, but they're still deciduous and would be bare for a few months in winter. Considering we could plant som many actual tropical plants there, I wondered why anyone would bother with a Mimosa.
I would quickly add Locust Tree to the list of don'ts. My neighbor had two planted on the tree lawn. Never mind that he had to replace sidewalk because the roots had heaved it up beyond repair. In the Spring, they drop an almost invisible (until it gets on your car and the ground) pollen and mercy! was I allergic to it! But the biggest drawback is the shedding in Autumn. Those teeny tiny leaves are almost impossible to rake up and the miniscule twigs to which they were attached get stuck in the leaf sucker and clog it up. It's been a year since they were removed and I continue to cut the shoots coming up in the middle of my yard.
We had Mimosa trees bordering the road when I was a teen. I moved away and I don't know what happened after that. I loved the blossoms when they were on the tree.
I have two locust in my tree lawn (they were planted by the builder) and I agree that they're a pain to get up all the leaves. So far mine are very healthy and look nice. I suppose most trees do something annoying at some point!
To each his own. I think the Thornless (podless) Honeylocust is one of the best big trees. And why rake the leaves at all? We had a gigantic one at our last house and in nine years, we never felt the need to rake its leaves.
I like mine, but I have to rake. Otherwise, the grass will die. That, and I'm a total neat freak who would never be able to just let leaves blow around my yard all winter!
I love Mimosas and their fragrance is heavenly. Honey Locust is another perfumer. Whatever trouble these trees ar is worth it to me.
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