Common Name:

General Information

Mimosa artemisiana is a deciduous tree with a wide, irregular and sparse crown; it can grow 12 - 25 metres tall. The crooked, cylindrical bole has a very thick and deeply fissured bark, it can be 25 - 50cm in diameter[].
The tree is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use of its wood. It is also sometimes used in reforestation plantings.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - eastern Brazil.

Habitat

Humid Atlantic rainforest, at elevations from 50 - 800 metres[]. Mainly found in secondary formations, usually in deep soils with a fairly high water table on flat land near rivers and on hill sides[].

Properties

Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	20.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Requires a sunny position[].
A fast-growing tree[].
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

A natural pioneer species in its native range, it is fast-growing and fixes atmospheric nitrogen. It can be used in mixed plantings to re-establish native woodlands[, ].

Other Uses

The wood is medium-textured, straight-grained, heavy, hard, with moderate mechanical properties and moderate natural durability[]. It is only used locally in general construction for items such as beams, scantlings, laths and dividing walls, as well as for simple furniture, tool handles and crates[].
The wood is used for fuel and to make charcoal[].

Propagation

Seed - it has a hard seedcoat and may benefit from scarification before sowing to speed up germination. This can usually be done by pouring a small amount of nearly boiling water on the seeds (being careful not to cook them!) and then soaking them for 12 - 24 hours in warm water. By this time they should have imbibed moisture and swollen - if they have not, then carefully make a nick in the seedcoat (being careful not to damage the embryo) and soak for a further 12 hours before sowing. Sow the seed in a sunny position in a nursery seedbed. A high germination rate can be expected, with the seed sprouting within 7 - 14 days[]. When the seedlings are 5 - 6cm tall, pot them up into individual containers and they should be ready to plant out less than 6 months later[].

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