Our office is often asked what type of groundcovers are best to plant or is there even a turfgrass alternative. While several come to mind, one popular choice is called sunshine mimosa. Sunshine mimosa is a great native groundcover and a Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ approved plant worth looking into. Is a patch of pink powder puffs in your future?
Native plants are very popular these days and those that serve a function in our landscapes are even more important. The sunshine mimosa is a great example of this. A native of Florida, mimosa makes an excellent and attractive groundcover. Named as a “Plant of the Year” in 2008 by the Florida Nursery, Growers & Landscape Association, sunshine mimosa is a resilient and beautiful plant. Also called “powderpuff”, sunshine mimosa is a low growing, spreading legume with feathery foliage and distinct one-inch-long puffy pink flowers. The ferny leaves will close when touched giving this unique plant another name – sensitive plant. The deep roots of this plant, and its ability to root along stems, makes it very drought tolerant once established. Erosion control is also a noted attribute of this plant. Sunshine mimosa is a fast grower and as few as five potted transplants can cover up to 300 square feet in less than one growing season. Sunshine mimosa can be used in both residential and commercial settings as an alternative to turf or for roadside plantings. As a legume, it has the ability to fix nitrogen via its association with special nitrogen fixing bacteria. This ability can add nitrogen to the soil.
Establishment can be accomplished with potted transplants, rooted sprigs, or even seeds. Seeds should be scarified (the seed coat thinned) before planting. The seed coat on sunshine mimosa is very hard and un-scarified seed will take a year or more to germinate. Sunshine mimosa is not very competitive and can be mixed with turf. Grass and mimosa can be mowed together without hurting the low growing mimosa. The development of nitrogen fixing bacteria may take more than a year to benefit these plants. While the use of a slow release, no phosphorus fertilizer will delay or prevent the growth of these nitrogen-fixing bacteria, its use will promote flowering and reduce yellowing. Relatively pest-free, sunshine mimosa can sometimes suffer from minor deer or caterpillar browsing.
Mimosa will often become sparse during the winter months, but it will green-up come spring. You will find that mimosa is very vigorous during the growing season. We had some planted at our old office on a slope next to the parking lot. The mimosa plants did so well that they jumped the pavement and started growing onto the parking spaces. We pruned their expanding stems to help contain their growth. As such, they do take well to edging to keep them in-bounds.
Check local native plant nurseries to find a source of sunshine mimosa. On occasion you might find some containerized material in local garden centers and nurseries as well. Once you have a mimosa patch established, you can propagate your own new plants from this original stock. Try some as a groundcover or alternative to turf for low maintenance areas. A patch of sunshine mimosa in full bloom is a stunning apparition that you will want to reproduce in your own landscape – it will not disappoint! For more information on all types of groundcovers, or to ask a question, please visit https://www.facebook.com/CharlotteCountyExtension. You can also call the Master Gardener Volunteer Helpdesk on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 1 to 4 pm at 764-4340 for gardening help and insight into their role as an Extension volunteer Ralph E. Mitchell is the Director/Horticulture Agent for UF/IFAS Extension Charlotte County. He can be reached at 941-764-4344 or ralph.mitchell@charlottecountyfl.gov. Connect with us on social media. Like us on Facebook @CharlotteCountyExtension and follow us on Instagram @ifascharco.
Resources:
Norcini, J.G. & Aldrich, J.H. (2007) Native Wildflowers: Mimosa strigillosa Torr. & A. Gray. UF/IFAS Extension Service.
Brown, S. H. & Cooprider, K. (2010) Mimosa strigillosa. The University of Florida Extension Service, IFAS – Lee County.
The Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Guide to Plant Selection & Landscape Design (2022) The University of Florida Extension Services, IFAS.
UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions (2026) Powderpuff Mimosa. The University of Florida Extension Services, IFAS
Hecker, F. (2023) What Is that Lawn Ornament? Sunshine Powderpuffs! The University of Florida Extension Services, IFAS – Sarasota County.
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