PLANT: Silktree mimosa (Albizia
julibrissin) is a small tree
with showy pink and white tufted
flowers in spring to early summer,
and dangling clusters of legume pods
in winter.
IDENTIFICATION: A
small tree, 10-40 ft. tall, single
or multiple stems, with feathery
leaves. Twigs slender to stout, lime
green turning shiny grayish brown
with light dots, no terminal bud,
bark glossy, thin, light brown
turning gray with raised corky dots
and dashes. Leaves are alternate,
feathery, finely divided, and
fern-like. Deciduous. Flowers are
showy bright pink, with white,
feathery tufts appearing May-July.
Light green seed pods turning dark
brown in fall and whitish-tan in
winter.
Resembles honey locust (Gleditsia
tricanthos), but leaflets longer.
Silktree seedlings resemble
partridge pea (Chamaecrista
fasciculata), an annual plant with
once-pinnately compound leaves.
ECOLOGY: Occurs on
dry to wet sites and spreads along
stream banks, prefers open
conditions, although persists in
shade. Colonizes by rootsprouts and
spreads by abundant animal- and
water-dispersed seeds, and seldom
found above 3,000 ft. elevation.
SYNONYMS: Silky
acacia.
HERBICIDE CONTROL:
For larger trees, make stem
injections or cut-treat using
Arsenal AC (may damage surrounding
woody plants) or Garlon 3A in
dilutions as specified on the
herbicide label (anytime except
March and April). For sapling
control, apply Garlon 4 as a 20%
solution (2.5 quarts per 3-gal. mix)
in commercially available basal oil,
diesel fuel, or kerosene with a
penetrant (check with herbicide
distributor) to young bark as a
basal spray. For resprouts and
seedlings, apply glyphosate
herbicide, Garlon 3A or Garlon 4 as
2% solutions (8 ounces per 3-gal.
mix) in water with a surfactant to
thoroughly wet all leaves in July to
October. Alternatively, apply
Transline as 0.2-0.4% solutions (1-2
ounces per 3-gal. mix) in water with
a surfactant to wet thoroughly all
leaves in July to September.
Transline controls a narrow spectrum
of plant species.
WARNING: Arsenal AC
can damage or kill plants with roots
in the treated area. Always read and
follow label directions carefully.
Photo and Text Credit: Nonnative
Invasive Plants of Southern Forests,
James Miller, 2004, www.forestryimages.org
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