Summer in the South means Mimosa Trees are displaying canopies of gorgeous feathery leaves filled with awesome pink blooms everywhere you look, and getting a whole lot of hate for it.
Mimosa Trees, or Persian Silk Trees, arrived in the South in 1745 and have been contributing some much needed color to our summer months ever since.
There are a lot of complaints lodged against Mimosa Trees that I hear.
Do Mimosa Trees put off an insane amount of seed pods that can create quite the mess? Yes, but Magnolias put off an insane amount of leaves that can create quite the mess, yet it's still pretty much considered a sin in the South to speak ill of 'em.
Also, are we we just going to ignore the fact that Pecan Trees are self-pruning and thus will frequently drop massive branches on whatever is parked beneath it.
There's also the gripe about Mimosa Trees being invasive, which they definitely are, but you know what else is invasive? The honeysuckle so many Southerners, and snakes, think of fondly and adore.
All I'm saying is every plant has its flaws, but there's a lot to appreciate about Mimosa Trees too.
After all, there aren't many trees willing to serve up such bright, colorful blooms during the oppressive humidity and drought that comes along with summers of the South, and most of the ones that do are praised for it. Why are Magnolia Trees and Crepe Myrtles beloved while Mimosa Trees are referred to as weeds?
At least some folks call them "pretty weeds," because make no mistake, Mimosa Trees are very pretty and offer a little divergence from the tones of green and brown most trees display in the summer.
All you have to do is take a drive down almost any Southern highway during the summer, and you'll find Mimosa Trees offering a break from the otherwise monotone roadside tree line thanks to its bright pops of pink.
So yes, most people probably wouldn't want to plant a Mimosa Tree in your yard, I have several, but that doesn't mean they deserve so much flak for offering the South a little vibrancy. Save your criticism for when it's really needed, like when the flowered stink bombs that are Ligustrum’s start smelling up the place.