Acacia mimosa or Acacia Dealbata: care

The Acacia Dealbatacommonly called mimosa or acacia mimosa, as well as fine mimosa, French aromo, silver mimosa or Australian acacia, is a plant originally from Australiaa. Not to be confused with the shrub also called mimosa or Mimosa pudicaSince the Acacia Dealbata It is a fast-growing tree that can reach 15 meters in height.

It is a kind of perennial leaf, in which its yellow flowersin the form of a striking sphere, which appear between the end of winter and the beginning of spring, expanding their sweet fragrance all over the garden.

It is a species with a great capacity for multiplication, which can produce new shoots by root expansion, being a tree considered as invasive species in Portugalwhere its cultivation is prohibited due to its enormous growth potential on the Atlantic coast.

Given its climate of origin, the plant does not tolerate cold. Even light frosts are very dangerous for this plant, because below 5 ºC the mimosa can suffer severe and even lethal damage.

Due to this, although it is an outdoor tree, in climates with cold winters it will be necessary to protect it with thermal fabric or a sheltered location. It is also important to protect the plant from the wind, since its rapid branching means that the branches are not very strong, being susceptible to breaking in high intensity storms.

Regarding its light needs, the Acacia Dealbata prefer the direct sun, since it needs all the light possible. If you can’t expose it directly, make sure to give it at least one location with as much light as you can.

If you are interested in plants that can be in full sun, we recommend you read this other post about 16 garden plants with sun-resistant flowers.

Like many other plants, the mimosa does not tolerate waterlogging at its roots at all. In addition, this acacia withstands the occasional droughts typical of Mediterranean climates without too many problems, although it will grow much better if it is given a frequent watering that maintains a slight level of moisture in the soil.

It is worth insisting that this should never be confused with flooding the soil, as this will most likely cause the roots to rot and the tree to suffer severely, possibly even dying.

We recommend you read this other interesting post about when to water plants.

Given its needs, it is easy to imagine that mimosa does not get along well with clay soils, which are more prone to waterlogging. It is best to check the drainage capacity of the soil in your garden before planting, by watering and noting where water does not accumulate. The ideal is to give sandy soil or frank, which will also have to enrich with organic mattersuch as earthworm humus or compost about 2 or 3 times each year, in spring, summer and, if the plant needs it, in autumn as well.

Given the great growth capacity of the roots, the fertilizer should not be applied exactly next to the trunk of the tree, but around it, forming a circle the approximate size of the crown of the tree, since in the mimosa, the branches and Roots grow at a parallel rate.

It is also recommended put padding on the base of the plant and around it, especially in the summer months, to help the soil better maintain a certain level of humidity.

It is not strictly necessary to prune Acacia mimosa, but it is recommended. Their branches grow so fast that they are not particularly strong, and if a control pruning, the tree will be more susceptible to damage when the wind blows. In addition, mimosa branches grow somewhat chaotically, so a formation pruning It will also help give it a better structure.

Always prune after flowering and apply it to the branches with green leaves. Uses progressive pruning and non-aggressive, that do not alter the balance of the tree and, as usual, make sure to properly disinfect the pruning tools before and after use.

You can multiply your acacia mimosa both by cuttings and by seeds.

• The planting by seeds It is done in seedbeds in the normal way, although it is recommended to soak the seeds for no more than 5 seconds in boiling water and then leave them to soak at room temperature for a whole day before sowing, preferably in spring or autumn.
• In the propagation by cuttings, it is best to take the stems in summer and plant them indoors with a seedbed substrate, maintaining a stable temperature during the 2-3 months it will take for them to take root. Using rooting hormone, which you can make yourself at home in a homemade and ecological way, will help in the process.

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