Common Name:

General Information

Mimosa tenuiflora is a very spiny, deciduous tree with a sparse and irregular crown; it can grow 4 - 6 metres tall. The bole is slightly inclined and can be 20 - 30cm in diameter[].
The tree is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use of its wood. It can be used as a pioneer species to restore native woodland.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela; C. America - Panama, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico.

Habitat

Dry forests of northeast Brazil, where it is found mainly in secondary formations on the floodplains of rivers in deep, moist, fertile, usually alkaline soils[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	5.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Bees, Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the 'Caatinga' dry forest region of northeast Brazil. The climate is hot and dry, there are usually 6 to 11 months without rain each year. The mean annual rainfall varies from 250 - 1,000mm, and the mean annual temperature is from 24 - 26°c.
Requires a sunny position[]. Found in the wild mainly in alkaline soils[].
A pioneer species, it can rapidly invade pasture land within its native range and is considered to be a weed by cattle ranchers[].
A fast-growing plant[].
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

The bark is used to make a hallucinogenic beverage.
The roots contain the alkaloid N,N-dimethyltryptamine (XXV), which has hallucinogenic properties. A drink made from the roots is said to induce glorious visions of the spirit world,[, ].

The bark is analgesic, antimicrobial, astringent, febrifuge and promotes the regeneration of cells[]. It is used in the treatment of burns, acne and skin defects[].

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 restore native woodland[].

Other Uses

The wood is medium-textured, straight-grained, very heavy, with excellent mechanical properties and of great natural durability[]. Because of its small dimensions, it is only used locally for items such as fence posts, stakes, bridges, wheels, rustic furniture etc[, ].
The wood is used for fuel and to make charcoal[]. It burns well and gives a lot of heat[].

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 14 - 28 days[].

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