Mimosa is a bashful native to the southern subtropical regions of America. The natural habitat is its homeland and Brazil. This genus has more than 500 species. One of them is the “bashful” mimosa, or, as it is called, “impassable,” which is grown at home. This plant got its name for the ability of leaves to fold and fall down at the slightest mechanical impact, as if shy of something.
View description
Mimosa bashful at home is an annual, beautifully flowering herbaceous shrub. This is an evergreen plant 30-40 cm tall. The stems are branched, very light. Spikes resembling thin hairs cover them. Numerous leaves of light green double-pinnate leaves are always twisted and lowered at night, and during the day only when exposed to them. After a certain time, at rest, the leaves unfold.
A tender plant is bashful mimosa. The flowers are pink or lilac. They are collected in small fluffy spherical heads. Bloom for 2-3 days and fall. Fruits are formed on the ovaries during self-pollination of the plant and look like beans. They are not eaten, their poison can be poisoned. The flowering period is long in time: it begins in the summer and ends in the fall. Mimosa is sometimes confused with silver acacia, which represents the Mimozov family, but is not a plant with that name. The main difference is that its flowers are yellow.
Growing
Mimosa bashful at home prefers lighted places. She does not like wind, drafts and odors, especially tobacco smoke. In a smoky room, its leaves curl and fall. The best temperature for it in summer is considered to be 20-25 degrees, and in winter it is enough 16. The shrub loves moisture, but in moderation. In the spring and summer periods it needs to be watered regularly and plentifully, in the extreme heat carry out sprinkling. And in winter, when the plant is resting, it is enough to monitor the condition of the soil and prevent its drying out. Water as needed. Waterlogging can lead to loss of decorative effect. On loose fertilized soil, bashful mimosa grows better. Growing from seeds makes it possible to obtain many shrubs at the same time.
In order for the fruits to set in, the plant must be pollinated. This process can be carried out by yourself. It is enough to transfer pollen with a brush or a soft swab. After that, the pod begins to form. When it ripens and becomes dry, it is torn off and placed in a paper bag. In it, the pod will be stored all winter until spring. It is important to remember that this plant is difficult to preserve in winter, it dies.
Transfer
Mimosa bashful at home grows like an annual, it does not need to be transplanted. If necessary, this is done in the following cases:
- When the bush is left for the winter and grown as a perennial plant.
- If the “touchy” gets sick, or the soil begins to rot.
The transplantation should be done by transshipment. In a larger pot, the plant is placed with a lump of earth. First, the bottom of the pot is covered with pebbles, which will perform the function of drainage. The soil is prepared in advance. The land mixes with sand, peat and decayed foliage. It is better to transplant the shrub early in the morning or in the evening, when the sun sets.
Breeding
Mimosa bashful of seeds may well grow, but they need to be planted exclusively in March and April. Their shape resembles beans or peas squeezed from the sides, the peel of which is very dense and has a glossy shine. For germination, you need to take a saucepan, pour soil into it and lay out the seeds without sprinkling with earth. You can press a little for better contact with the soil. Then the future bashful mimosa is poured with hot water. The seeds will crackle, that's normal. Cover the pan with a lid. So it will maintain the necessary humidity. After a while, the beans will sprout. Will give friendly sprouts mimosa bashful. Growing from seed is a thing troublesome, but worth it.
Sprouted beans are planted in well-loosened soil. In a week, shoots will appear. When they grow to the size of several leaves, they can be transplanted into separate pots with good drainage and sterile soil. To destroy bacteria, it is enough to spill it with a solution of potassium permanganate.
When and how to feed mimosa?
"Touchless", like any plant, requires nutrients. She gets them during feeding. It is carried out when the bush is actively growing. In spring and until mid-summer, roomy mimosa is bashfully fed with nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. These fertilizers are mixed in equal proportions and applied to the soil twice a month. In the second half of summer and before the beginning of autumn, buds are formed. Therefore, phosphorus and potassium are needed in large quantities. To make the soil more nutritious, bone meal should be added to it . You can make top dressing with complex mixtures for home flowers. In autumn, the growth of shoots stops. At this time, the application of any fertilizer stops. If this is not done, it will not rest and may become weak mimosa shy. Growing a houseplant will not bring pleasure, as the shrub will lose its decorative effect.
Beneficial features
"Touchless" is known for its beneficial properties. It has long been used in many European countries in medicine. Unconventional methods of treatment are not complete without the use of the healing properties of this plant.
- Tincture of leaves heals a sore throat, reduces the temperature.
- Decoction from the bark - dysentery and headache.
- Ointments treat burns and heal wounds.
- Mimosa preparations purify the blood.
- Help in the treatment of the heart and nervous system.
- Tidy the liver and gall bladder.
What is sick and who is damaged mimosa?
- If the shrub experiences an excess of moisture, its leaves will turn yellow and begin to curl during the day.
- When a plant grows in a room where tobacco smoke is always present, it discards foliage.
- Falling leaves is also associated with irregular watering.
- With a lack of lighting and a low temperature, the mimosa feels uncomfortable. Flowers under such conditions will never appear.
- If the "touch" grows slowly and does not bloom, you need to pay attention to the soil: it is obviously depleted. In this case, urgently need to feed the plant and create the necessary conditions for growth.
- If a bashful mimosa is infected with a spider mite at home, its leaves begin to turn pale. After a while, they turn yellow and dry. Numerous green or yellow dots and cobwebs appear on them. This means that the room is too dry and the air is hot.
- At the first signs of aphid infection, the leaves of the plant curl and turn yellow. Small black or green bugs appear on the shoots. This is the aphid. It feeds on the juice of cells and inhibits growth.
To control pests, they need to be collected manually, and then washed with soapy water or rubbed with leaves on both sides. With severe damage, spraying with chemicals is used. Most importantly, to make the plant comfortable in your home, you need to create favorable conditions for its growth. Then it will be possible to avoid many negative consequences.
Interesting Facts
The mimosa plant bashful very quickly reacts to any touch or mechanical vibrations. As a result of experiments, it was revealed that the plant remembers irritants and somehow adapts to them. If you drip water onto the mimosa with the same frequency, it will stop folding. After some time, we will again affect the plant in a similar way. The result will exceed all expectations: the “touchy” will behave completely calmly.
An interesting fact is the holding of a mimosa festival in France. This holiday was first held in the province of Pierre Rish at the beginning of the twentieth century. At present, it has not lost its significance. Mimosa thickets cover numerous hills. Thousands of flowers give off a pleasant, rich aroma. The flowering of mimosa in France means the end of winter and the beginning of spring. In honor of the flower festival, parades are held throughout the country.