Step Away From the Mimosa!

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As we continue traveling south to Washington DC, we were moseying along some backroads in Virginia and suddenly the camera crew began yelling “stop the van… pull over”.  We piled out to run over trying to position ourselves to take photos of a HUGE Albizia julibrissin, commonly known as Mimosa or Persian Silk tree.

 

Pictures of mimosa
Jim Chatfield trying for the perfect Mimosa flower photo

 

Of course, it was a startling sight to see Chatfield and Draper racing up and down the driveway, with their cameras in their hands, trying to outdo each other for the best shot.  Suddenly, a woman steps out and yells, “What are you doing… this is my property… Get off my property!”  The camera crew had to abandon their quest for the perfect flower shot… in lieu of getting shot!

 

Pink blooms of the Mimosa tree
Lovely pink-tufted blooms of the Mimosa tree

 

It was a truly awesome pink-tufted- sight!  The entire tree was covered with the classic, tufted, flower puffs and then as we got closer we began to see the new seed pod color too!

 

Mimosa blooms and seed pods
Mimosa blooms and seed pods

 

While this appears to be an actual Dr. Seuss type tree, these trees will do best in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 6-9.  So for northeast Ohio it is definitely not a plant that will come out unscathed from our winters.  However, there are reports of more cold tolerant selections that may soon be available… just keeping that pink-tufted hope alive!