Invasive Alert: Mimosa Tree Threatens Native Ecosystems

Several once-popular ornamentals—kudzu, Japanese honeysuckle, bamboo, privet, English ivy—have become invasive scourges. Mimosa (Albizia julibrissin) joins this list.

A nostalgic gardener lamented its reclassification, recalling a grandfather's tree. Theresa Schrum explains: mimosa escapes gardens, invades natural areas, reproduces vigorously, and has only one natural enemy (Fusarium wilt). It's listed as invasive by:

• Southeast Exotic Pest Plant Council
• Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council
• Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council
• U.S. Forest Service, APHIS, UGA
• National Park Service

Good stewardship means removing mimosa and replacing it with non-invasive alternatives. For the latest list of invasive plants in the South, visit Invasive Plants of the Thirteen Southern States.

mimosa seed pods