Mimosa quadrivalvis

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Florida Sensitive Brier

Fabaceae (Leguminosae)

Also known as Leptoglottis floridana

Plant Specifics

Form:Vine
Size:ft tall by 2' - 4' ft wide
Life Span:Short-lived perennial
Flower Color:Purple,rose
Fruit Color:Yellow,red
Phenology:Winter dormant (dies back to ground). Blooms spring-fall.
Noted for:Showy flowers, Interesting foliage, Thorns

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:Informal wildflower garden in areas where it will not need to be handled.
Considerations:Recurved prickles, take care when handling.
Propagation:Dividing rhizomes and tubers.
Availability:Friends
Light: Full Sun,  Part Shade
Moisture Tolerance:
always floodedextremely dry
 (Not wet but not extremely dry ----- to ----- Very long very dry periods)
Moisture Tolerance: Not wet but not extremely dry ----- to ----- Very long very dry periods
Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Salt Spray/ Salty Soil Tolerance:Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
Soil or other substrate:Sand
Soil pH:6.1 - 7.8

Ecology

Wildlife:
Insects:
 

Attracts small insects pollinators.  Bees documented on this species include Agapostemon splendens, Augochlorella aurata, Augochloropsis sumptuosa, Dialictus miniatulus, D. placidensis and Anthidiellum perplexum (Deyrup et al. 2002) 

Native Habitats:Sandhill, scrub and flatwoods

Distribution and Planting Zones

Natural Range in Florida
USDA Zones

Suitable to grow in:
10A 10B 9A 9B 

USDA zones are based on minimum winter temperatures

Comments

General Comments:

There are two varieties in Florida which are essentially equivalent for landscape purposes:  Mimosa quadrivalvis var. angustata and M. quadrivalvis var. floridana. 

M. quadrivalvis var. floridana is predominantly found on the eastern side of the state and is almost endemic to the state. 

Between them, these two subspecies can be found almost throught mainland Florida.  As their ranges naturally overlapp, so it is unlikely that planting them where cross-pollination could occur would cause introgression between the two subspecies.