MIMOSA: TABLES, PHOTOS, HOME CARE AND OUTDOOR CARE

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Mimosa belongs to the Legume family. According to various sources, the genus has 300-600 species. The birthplace of the plant is the tropics and subtropics of Africa, America, Asia. In apartments and in the open ground, only a few varieties are grown.

Mimosa Description

The genus is represented by shrubs, herbs, low trees. The number of parts in a flower is usually a quarter, less often 3 or 6. Stamens are the same number or twice as many. Inflorescences form dense heads or brushes.

Mimosa behavior feature

Mimosa does not tolerate touch, when shaking immediately folds the leaves into a tube. This also occurs during temperature jumps, after sunset. After some time, the flower opens the plates again.

Experts in the field of botany explain this by the fact that the plant, thus, protects itself from tropical rain in the wild. During rain, it covers the leaves, and when the sun comes out, it opens. Mimosa structure

Types of Mimosa

The following types of mimosa are adapted for growing in indoor and garden conditions:

Title	Description
Bashful	Also called silver acacia. The most popular variety. In the wild grows in Brazil. In the summer, blooms purple-pink buds. Cultivated as an annual plant.
Grungy	Grows in the forests of South America. Snow-white buds collected in inflorescences.
Lazy	The flowers are white, small, look very decorative. Reaches 50 cm. Stems erect, branched. Fern-like leaves.

Growing and caring for mimosa at home

Mimosa is unpretentious in content. However, caring for the bush at home requires compliance with certain rules:

Factor	Spring Summer	Autumn winter
Location / Lighting	At the western and eastern windows, where direct sunlight does not penetrate. He loves bright light, but it is necessary to accustom him gradually.	Dark, cool room. No additional lighting is needed.
Temperature	+ 20 ... +24 ° С.	+ 16 ... +18 ° С.
Humidity	High, 80-85%. Next to the plant, you can put a basin with wet moss, expanded clay. Daily spraying with sludge without bleach is required. It is also advisable to install an air humidifier in a room with mimosa.
Watering	Abundant, every 2-3 days.	In the autumn period, moderate, in winter only if necessary (when the bush dries).
Top dressing	Every 2 weeks with mineral fertilizers with a high concentration of phosphorus and potassium. The dosage indicated on the package must be reduced by 2 times.	Not necessary.

Outdoor Mimosa Care

In the natural environment, mimosa lives in the tropics, so it is difficult to grow it in the climate of our country. Usually the plant is kept in greenhouses, houses, conservatories, and greenhouses. In regions with warm winters, the bush can also be planted in open ground, while it is necessary to ensure proper care for it:

Parameter	Conditions
Location / Lighting	South, southeast, southwest, eastern, western part of the site. The plant must be protected from drafts. Young instances need shading. When the bush gets used to ultraviolet rays, it is transplanted to the south side. Bright sunlight, when in the shade of a mimosa will lose its decorative effect, will cease to bloom.
Temperature	Not lower than +10 ° С.
Humidity / Watering	The first time after planting, watering is carried out regularly for better rooting. A few months later they are stopped. Mimosa is resistant to drought, but in very hot weather it needs to be watered. The soil is moistened with rain or river water. If this is not possible, you can take a tap, filter it, boil and stand for a couple of days.
The soil	Drainage is required to prevent moisture stagnation. It is laid out from expanded clay of the middle fraction. The substrate can be made from an equal amount of turf, peat, humus, sand. Soil after planting is regularly loosened, weeds are weeded.
Top dressing	Produce in the vegetative period (spring-summer). 2 times a month you need to make mineral fertilizers when buds appear - mixtures for flowering plants.

Features pruning, transplanting mimosa

Buds appear only on young shoots. To have more new branches, you need to do a pinch. Thanks to this, the bush will bloom longer. Also, pruning is necessary so that the stem does not stretch, mimosa does not lose its decorative effect.

The first time it is done in early April, the next after the end of flowering. In order for it to benefit, the main thing is not to overdo it, cut off only very elongated shoots, otherwise the bush will die.

When mimosa is grown as an annual, no transplant is necessary. If the bush is preserved after winter dormancy, it is already crowded in the old pot. The plant is moved to a new pot by transshipment without destroying the earthen lump. The remaining voids are filled with fresh soil mixture. It is made from the same components as the substrate during the initial planting (when buying mimosa, you need to clarify in which soil it is planted). After transplanting, the bush is watered.

Mimosa propagation

Mimosa is planted with seeds and cuttings. The first method is resorted to in February:

Seed evenly spread over the ground.
Sprinkle a little sand.
For stratification, place the container in the refrigerator for a month.
In early spring, rearrange in a room with a temperature of +25 ° C.
After the appearance of several real leaves, transplant the sprouts into separate pots.

Seed propagation

Step-by-step propagation by cuttings:

Cut the cuttings from the tops of the branches by 10 cm.
Cut off the lateral processes, place in Kornevin for 8 hours.
Plant 2 internodes into the soil to a depth of 2.
Cover with glass, put in a warm, well-lit place.
Remove the shelter daily for ventilation and watering.
Rooting will occur in 2-3 months.

Possible troubles, pests and diseases of mimosa

With deficiencies in care, the following problems may occur:

Manifestations	Causes	Remedial measures
Sugar sticky coating, the presence of small, green or black insects.	Aphids due to high humidity.	Normalize the conditions of detention. Destroy affected areas. To process Intavir, Aktofit.
Deformation and falling of greenery. Thin web on the inside of the leaves and in internodes.	Spider mite, due to the large amount of moisture in the air.	Create the required humidity level. Wipe with a soap or alcohol solution. Use insecticides: Actellik, Fitoverm. After 7 days, repeat the procedure.
Yellowing and falling of leaves. Not disclosing them in the afternoon.	Excess moisture.	Observe watering regimen.
Strong stretching of the stems.	Lack of light.	Rearrange in a well-lit place.
Lack of flowering.	Poor lighting. Low temperature.	Normalize the conditions of detention.
The appearance of dry light brown spots. Grayish fluff on the stem.	Gray rot, due to excessive soil moisture, hypothermia.	Follow the watering schedule. Monitor the temperature regime. Remove affected areas. Apply Fitosporin or Bordeaux 1%.