Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Mimosa Tree
Mimosa Tree, also called silk tree, grows fast into a wide, umbrella-shaped canopy of soft, fern-like leaves. Fluffy pink flowers cover the top of the tree from late spring into summer and bring hummingbirds, bees and butterflies. It gives light shade that other plants can grow under. It takes the summer heat, drops its leaves in winter, and can reach 20 to 40 feet tall and wide.
Best for: light summer shade over a lawn or planting bed, a flowering tree for an open yard, and feeding hummingbirds, bees and butterflies.
The canopy spreads wide and flat, often as wide as the tree is tall, at 20 to 40 feet. Its fern-like leaves cast light shade, so other plants still grow underneath. Give it an open spot with room to spread.
Fluffy pink flowers open in late spring and early June, then come off and on through summer. They are held at the ends of the branches, over the top of the canopy.
Hummingbirds feed at the flowers through the bloom season, and bees and butterflies visit them too. Plant it where you can watch the canopy from the house.
It drops a lot of leaves, flowers and seed pods, so keep it away from pools and plant it where cleanup is easy. The wood is brittle, and branches can break in strong storm winds.
- Row of trees12 ft apart
- Open yard trees12-20 ft apart
For the first two weeks, water a new tree every 1 to 2 days in summer, or every 3 to 4 days in cooler months. Ease to about weekly in summer by the second month. Once rooted, soak it deeply every week or two in summer and every 2 to 4 weeks in winter, at the edge of the canopy.
A young mimosa needs staking and training to grow a good form. Use two stakes outside the root ball with soft, wide ties that let the trunk sway. Remove the stakes after about a year.
Prune in winter while the tree has no leaves. Shape a young tree a little at a time for strong branch structure, and keep the flat-topped form. Never remove more than a quarter of the canopy in a year.
Expect leaves, spent flowers and seed pods to drop. Rake or blow them up as they fall, and keep the tree away from pools.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
How big does a mimosa tree get?
It can reach 20 to 40 feet tall, with a canopy about as wide. Plan for the width as much as the height, and plant it in an open spot.
How fast does a mimosa tree grow?
It is a fast-growing tree. It does best with deep, regular water in summer, so follow the schedule on the Care and Planting tab.
How far apart should I plant mimosa trees?
Plant them 12 to 20 feet apart, center to center. Use the wider spacing where you want each canopy to spread fully. The Spacing tab shows both.
When does a mimosa tree bloom?
The pink flowers open in late spring and early June, then come off and on through summer.
Do hummingbirds like mimosa trees?
Yes. Hummingbirds feed at the flowers, and bees and butterflies visit them too. Place the tree within view of a window or patio to watch them.
Does a mimosa tree lose its leaves?
Yes. It drops its leaves in winter and leafs out again in spring. Winter, while the branches are bare, is the time to prune it.
How often should I water a mimosa tree?
It does best with regular water. Soak a rooted tree deeply every week or two in summer and every 2 to 4 weeks in winter. Water at the edge of the canopy, not at the trunk.
Can it take Phoenix summer heat?
Yes. It tolerates heat and grows well in hot summers. Plant it in full sun and keep up the deep summer watering.
How cold hardy is a mimosa tree?
It is rated to about 0°F, well below any Valley winter. It needs no frost protection here.
Is a mimosa tree messy? Can it go near a pool?
It drops leaves, spent flowers and flat seed pods 4 to 6 inches long. Keep it away from pools, and plant it over a lawn or bed where the litter is easy to clean up.
Can the branches break in storms?
Yes. The wood is light and brittle, and branches can break in strong storm winds. Prune a young tree for sound branch structure, and never strip the inner branches.
Mimosa tree vs jacaranda?
Both have fern-like leaves and a wide canopy. Mimosa blooms pink through summer and handles hard cold. Jacaranda blooms lavender-blue for a few weeks around May and is damaged in the upper 20s.
Mimosa Tree for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Mimosa Tree (Albizia julibrissin), also sold as silk tree, is a fast-growing flowering tree from Asia with fern-like leaves and pink summer flowers. Below you will find how big it gets, how far apart to plant it, watering, pruning, its bloom season and where to place it in a Valley yard.
Sourced from trusted Arizona growers and delivered directly to your door, job site, or property. We deliver across the Valley and to nearby towns, and quote delivery anywhere else in Arizona.
Mimosa tree in Arizona
Mimosa Tree, or silk tree, is a fast-growing flowering tree with fern-like leaves and pink summer flowers. It tolerates Valley heat in full sun and does best with deep, regular water.
How big does a mimosa tree get?
It can reach 20 to 40 feet tall with a canopy about as wide. The crown is flat and umbrella shaped, so plan for the spread.
How far apart do you plant mimosa trees?
Plant mimosa trees 12 to 20 feet apart, center to center. Use the wider spacing where each canopy needs room to spread.
When do mimosa trees bloom in Phoenix?
The fluffy pink flowers open in late spring and early June. They keep coming off and on through summer.
Do mimosa trees attract hummingbirds?
Yes. Hummingbirds feed at the pink flowers, along with bees and butterflies.
How often to water a mimosa tree in Arizona
Soak a rooted tree deeply every week or two in summer and every 2 to 4 weeks in winter. A new tree needs water every 1 to 2 days for its first two summer weeks.
Are mimosa trees messy?
Yes, they drop leaves, flowers and seed pods. Plant one over a lawn or bed and away from pools, where the litter is easy to clean up.
Mimosa tree vs jacaranda
Mimosa blooms pink through summer and handles hard cold. Jacaranda blooms lavender-blue around May and is damaged in the upper 20s. Both drop their leaves in winter.
We deliver across the Valley, from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa out to San Tan Valley, Maricopa and Casa Grande, and up to Prescott, Sedona, Payson and Globe. See delivery areas and rates.