FNPS Plant Database

Mimosa strigillosa

sunshine mimosa, powderpuff
  • Photo by: Mark Hutchinson, Hernando Chapter, FNPS
  • Photo by: Carolyn Moore
  • Photo by: Ginny Stibolt, Ixia Chapter FNPS

Nomenclature

Common Name:

sunshine mimosa, powderpuff

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Mimosa strigillosa

Family:

Fabaceae (Leguminosae)

Plant Specifics

Form:

flower

Size:

0.25-0.5 ft tall by to 100 ft wide

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

pink, rose

Fruit Color:

NA

Phenology:

Evergreen but tends to appear somewhat sparse and inconspicuous from late fall to early spring. Blooms spring to fall.

Noted For:

Showy Flowers, Interesting Foliage

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Grow as a groundcover. Can be used as a turf replacement and can be mowed. Not good for heavy traffic. Tends not to have good cover during late fall through early spring.

Considerations:

Like most turf replacements, this plant wants to spread. If you don't want that, keep it hemmed in by using a barrier or by trimming.

Availability:

Quality Nurseries, Native Nurseries, FNPS Plant Sales, Seed

Propagation:

Seed or cuttings. Seeds are available through the Florida Wildflowers Growers Cooperative.

Light:

Full Sun, Part Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded------------------------------------------------Extremely Dry

Coming Soon!

Somewhat moist, no flooding ---to--- Not wet but not extremely dry

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand, Loam

Soil pH:

circum neutral

Suitable to Grow In:

8A,8B,9A,9B,10A,10B

USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.



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Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators, Caterpillars

Host plant for the  little sulphur ( Eurema lisa )  butterfly. ( Fl Wildflower Foundation )





Pollinated mainly by bees

Native Habitats:

Open, disturbed areas. Typically fairly moist but tolerates dry soils after establishment.

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

Needs substantial water during establishment, then relatively drought tolerant.



Nodules on the roots of the plant, with the help of Rhizobium bacteria, fix nitrogen.

Citations:

Florida Wildflower Foundation. https://flawildflowers.org/flower-friday-mimosa-strigillosa/

Haehle, Robert G. and Joan Brookwell.  1999.  Native Florida Plants.  Gulf Publishing Company.  Houston, TX.



Hammer, Roger. 2015.  Attracting hummingbirds and butterflies in tropical Florida.  University Presses of Florida.



Huegel, Craig, N.  2012.  Native wildflowers and other ground covers for Florida landscapes. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL.



Nelson, Gil.  2003.  Florida's Best Landscape Plants. Association of Florida Native Nurseries.



Osorio, Rufino. 2001. A gardener's guide to Florida's native Plants.  University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL.



Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. 2021. Atlas of Florida Plants ( https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/).  Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.

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