New arrival here with a question if anyone can help me out. I have a mimosa
which I grew from seed and have kept about 3 feet tall. Last year we moved
from Central Florida to Vermont. It lost its leaves at the proper time and
wintered over nicely in the basement [temps probably around 60F most of the
time]. I kept it outdoors all summer and well into the [warm] fall,
bringing it in only when we started to have light frosts. It has been near
a south facing window since. It continues to remain green, even having put
out a significant amount of new growth about a month after I brought it
inside. I had thought it would respond to shorter days and drop all its
leaves for the winter. Apparently I was wrong.

Can anyone explain what is happening with this tree and if I should be doing
something different or if all is ok? Thanks loads!

-Aula, in Vermont

I don't know what kind of mimosa it is, but in my country, Mimosa is a
weed. And as far as I've seen, weeds don't ever stop growing... ever...

"Beano" <s370782 [at] student.uq.edu.au> wrote in message
news:1137104200.360779.61790 [at] o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...
> I don't know what kind of mimosa it is, but in my country, Mimosa is a
> weed. And as far as I've seen, weeds don't ever stop growing... ever...
>

:-)

Thanks for the encouragement! My tree, when grown normally, would look like
this when in bloom:

http://almostedenplants.com/mall/wpe93.jpg

The proper name is Albizia julibrissin `Rosea. In natural habitat in the
southeastern US it grows up to 30' tall and is fast growing. Does that make
it like a weed <VEG>?

-Aula

I think maybe they call it Mimosa because it looks like the sensitive
weed mimosa pigra (which is the pest - it has prickle thorns on it and
forms shrubs which line riverbanks and prevent livestock access to the
water). I live in Australia and they have just started a campaign
trying to get rid of it.

But this looks like a proper tree - it has large version of the
sensitive leaves on the weed version the week has little pink fluffy
flowers like the tree.

I don't know if they are related or not, I'm assuming Mimosa pigra is
the scientific name, and if it is, it's not even in the same genus as
your mimosa tree. Anyone else know?

"just me" <aula [at] nospam.rr.com> wrote in message
news:NbWdnZNnL_TERFvenZ2dnUVZ_sudnZ2d [at] adelphia.com...
>
> "Beano" <s370782 [at] student.uq.edu.au> wrote in message
> news:1137104200.360779.61790 [at] o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...
>> I don't know what kind of mimosa it is, but in my country, Mimosa is a
>> weed. And as far as I've seen, weeds don't ever stop growing... ever...
>>
>
> :-)
>
> Thanks for the encouragement! My tree, when grown normally, would look
> like
> this when in bloom:
>
> http://almostedenplants.com/mall/wpe93.jpg
>
> The proper name is Albizia julibrissin `Rosea. In natural habitat in the
> southeastern US it grows up to 30' tall and is fast growing. Does that
> make
> it like a weed <VEG>?
>
> -Aula
>
>

I missed the original post. But here in southern california I have a mimosa
like the wpe93.jpg picture growing in my back yard. It has achieve almost
twenty twenty feet in hieght and about the same in crown width. It is a fast
grower and has met my expectations two years earlier than planned as far as
canopy width. I think that it could be a good bonsai ( I am no expert here)
and prabably would achieve good effect in a short amount of time. They tend
to be multiple stemed and cast sort of a delicate nice shadow in the sun.

zoomer mentioned in passing :
>
> I missed the original post. But here in southern california I have a
> mimosa like the wpe93.jpg picture growing in my back yard. It has
> achieve almost twenty twenty feet in hieght and about the same in
> crown width. It is a fast grower and has met my expectations two
> years earlier than planned as far as canopy width. I think that it
> could be a good bonsai ( I am no expert here) and prabably would
> achieve good effect in a short amount of time. They tend to be
> multiple stemed and cast sort of a delicate nice shadow in the sun.

I started mine from see three [or is it 4?] years ago. I've kept it short.
It's about 30 inches tall. My question has to do with its reaction to
well.....let me explain. In Nov. 2004 we moved from Florida to Vermont,
where I had it growing outside in a 'pot' year round. For last winter I
kept it in a basement under lights, watered regularly. It lost its leaves
like it should and grew new growth just a little later in the year than I
would have expected it to in Fl. I put it back outside after last frost
here for the summer and left it there until mid-October [we had a very mild
autumn], only bringing it in to avoid frost damage. Since I brought it in
it has put out new growth shoots twice now [doing it right now!] and has
kept all its growth. I am befuddled with this as it is a decidious tree
that should loose its foliage for the cool months. While I don't see any
obvious harm to it I do wonder both why it is not resting for the winter and
if there will be any negative long lasting effect? Any ideas?

-Aula, in Vermont

--
Describing is not knowing.

"just me" <aula [at] nospam.rr.com> wrote in message
news:erKdnYTUtPs9XVTenZ2dnUVZ_tWdnZ2d [at] adelphia.com...
> zoomer mentioned in passing :
>>
>> I missed the original post. But here in southern california I have a
>> mimosa like the wpe93.jpg picture growing in my back yard. It has
>> achieve almost twenty twenty feet in hieght and about the same in
>> crown width. It is a fast grower and has met my expectations two
>> years earlier than planned as far as canopy width. I think that it
>> could be a good bonsai ( I am no expert here) and prabably would
>> achieve good effect in a short amount of time. They tend to be
>> multiple stemed and cast sort of a delicate nice shadow in the sun.
>
> I started mine from see three [or is it 4?] years ago. I've kept it
> short.
> It's about 30 inches tall. My question has to do with its reaction to
> well.....let me explain. In Nov. 2004 we moved from Florida to Vermont,
> where I had it growing outside in a 'pot' year round. For last winter I
> kept it in a basement under lights, watered regularly. It lost its leaves
> like it should and grew new growth just a little later in the year than I
> would have expected it to in Fl. I put it back outside after last frost
> here for the summer and left it there until mid-October [we had a very
> mild
> autumn], only bringing it in to avoid frost damage. Since I brought it in
> it has put out new growth shoots twice now [doing it right now!] and has
> kept all its growth. I am befuddled with this as it is a decidious tree
> that should loose its foliage for the cool months. While I don't see any
> obvious harm to it I do wonder both why it is not resting for the winter
> and
> if there will be any negative long lasting effect? Any ideas?
>
> -Aula, in Vermont
>
> --
> Describing is not knowing.
>
>

My initial thought is that the artificial indoor temp and light caused an
extended growing season.
A cold chamber outside (box in the ground with translucent cover) would
protect it from frost and still give the right light
and temp to put it into dormancy. It could also cause the green house
effect so give the cold box good ventilation.
Here in the Mojove Desert of CA it gets into the teens at night for a week
at a time several times between dec and feb. My
yard tree does just fine. For a bonsai, the roots need protection (blanket
or cold box) that my yard tree gets
naturaly from the ground its in. You could prabably put your bonsai into
dormancy if you put it outside with some protection.
I have some pre-bonsai (ginkgos, maples, oaks . . .) that I pushed all the
leaves from my yard around (mulch would work too).
Hmmm . . maybe the extra growth you are seeing can be used to fill in where
there is a need. Your bonsai may need (I don't know)
dormancy in order to flower next spring.

Robert, Mojave Desert

zoomer mentioned in passing :
>
> My initial thought is that the artificial indoor temp and light
> caused an extended growing season.
> A cold chamber outside (box in the ground with translucent cover)
> would protect it from frost and still give the right light
> and temp to put it into dormancy. It could also cause the green house
> effect so give the cold box good ventilation.
> Here in the Mojove Desert of CA it gets into the teens at night for a
> week at a time several times between dec and feb. My
> yard tree does just fine. For a bonsai, the roots need protection
> (blanket or cold box) that my yard tree gets
> naturaly from the ground its in. You could prabably put your bonsai
> into dormancy if you put it outside with some protection.
> I have some pre-bonsai (ginkgos, maples, oaks . . .) that I pushed
> all the leaves from my yard around (mulch would work too).
> Hmmm . . maybe the extra growth you are seeing can be used to fill
> in where there is a need. Your bonsai may need (I don't know)
> dormancy in order to flower next spring.
>

Robert -

I had wondered about the light thing, too. I originally placed it in the
dining room, where it received natural light via a southern window as well
as a lot of artificial light in the evenings. I moved it in early December
to a room where it receives almost no artificial light [due to useage
patterns] and direct natural light from a western window. Hasn't seemed to
change it. That probably leaves the temperature, which we're running around
68, I think. That is lower than the temp at which it dropped its leaves in
Florida. Your idea about a cold frame is interesting, but I'm afraid to try
it as we have seen minus 40 here and I'm just not sure the cold frame would
protect it. Its +4 as I type and will probably not rise much above that
today. Oh well....maybe it can be a year round tree.

THanks for your input. The question is intriguing and your thoughts might
be spot on!

-Aula
--
The eye sees only what the mind is prepared to comprehend. Henri-Louis
Bergson (1859-1941) French philosopher Believe nothing because it is
written in books. Believe nothing because wise men say it is so.
Believe nothing because it is religious doctrine. Believe it only
because you yourself know it to be true. - Buddha

"just me" <aula [at] nospam.rr.com> wrote in message
news:XuqdnY-R2_PTG1beRVn-uw [at] adelphia.com...
> zoomer mentioned in passing :
>>
>> My initial thought is that the artificial indoor temp and light
>> caused an extended growing season.
>> A cold chamber outside (box in the ground with translucent cover)
>> would protect it from frost and still give the right light
>> and temp to put it into dormancy. It could also cause the green house
>> effect so give the cold box good ventilation.
>> Here in the Mojove Desert of CA it gets into the teens at night for a
>> week at a time several times between dec and feb. My
>> yard tree does just fine. For a bonsai, the roots need protection
>> (blanket or cold box) that my yard tree gets
>> naturaly from the ground its in. You could prabably put your bonsai
>> into dormancy if you put it outside with some protection.
>> I have some pre-bonsai (ginkgos, maples, oaks . . .) that I pushed
>> all the leaves from my yard around (mulch would work too).
>> Hmmm . . maybe the extra growth you are seeing can be used to fill
>> in where there is a need. Your bonsai may need (I don't know)
>> dormancy in order to flower next spring.
>>
>
> Robert -
>
> I had wondered about the light thing, too. I originally placed it in the
> dining room, where it received natural light via a southern window as well
> as a lot of artificial light in the evenings. I moved it in early
> December
> to a room where it receives almost no artificial light [due to useage
> patterns] and direct natural light from a western window. Hasn't seemed
> to
> change it. That probably leaves the temperature, which we're running
> around
> 68, I think. That is lower than the temp at which it dropped its leaves
> in
> Florida. Your idea about a cold frame is interesting, but I'm afraid to
> try
> it as we have seen minus 40 here and I'm just not sure the cold frame
> would
> protect it. Its +4 as I type and will probably not rise much above that
> today. Oh well....maybe it can be a year round tree.
>
> THanks for your input. The question is intriguing and your thoughts might
> be spot on!
>
> -Aula
> --
> The eye sees only what the mind is prepared to comprehend. Henri-Louis
> Bergson (1859-1941) French philosopher Believe nothing because it is
> written in books. Believe nothing because wise men say it is so.
> Believe nothing because it is religious doctrine. Believe it only
> because you yourself know it to be true. - Buddha
>
>

Minus 40! That is really c-c-c-cold . . . you're right to not trust a cold
frame.
If you can't get info from this newsgroup, try talking to one of the clubs.
I just joined http://www.absbonsai.org/ They may be able
to give you some real info.
Robert, Mojave Desert ;^ )>