Common Name:

General Information

Mimosa glutinosa is a slightly spiny, deciduous shrub or small tree with an open, roundish crown; it can grow 4 - 6 metres tall. The short, crooked bole can be 20 - 30cm in diameter[].
The tree is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use of its wood. It has a very ornamental form and is used in landscaping, especially as a street tree in narrow streets and under power lines[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - Paraguay, western central Brazil.

Habitat

Open areas in shallow, rocky terrain, that can become inundated in the wet season[].

Properties

Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	5.00 m
Pollinators	Bees
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the Pantanal region of S. America, which has an average yearly rainfall of 1,000 - 1,400mm, but is fed by the upper Paraguay River which floods in the wet season, causing large areas to be under water for several months of the year. Its average temperature is 25°c, but this can fluctuate from 0 - 40°c.
Requires a sunny position[]. Succeeds in dry and moist soils[]. Often found in the wild in shallow, rocky soils[].
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

Other Uses

The wood is of medium texture, straight-grained, heavy, hard, with excellent mechanical properties and medium durability. Because of its small dimensions it is only used for items such as roller bearings, lathe work, small items of furniture etc[].
The wood is used for fuel and to make charcoal[].

Propagation

Seed - it has a hard seedcoat and, unless sown as soon as it is ripe and still moist, 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 20 - 35 days[]. When the seedlings are 5 - 6cm tall, pot them up into individual containers and they should be ready to plant out when 30cm tall[].

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