Mimosa is native to the South American tropics. They are not hardy and need high temperatures and a lot of humidity all year round. Since overwintering a mimosa is not that easy, the non-hardy plant is usually only grown as an annual.
Are mimosas hardy?
Mimosa is not hardy and requires high temperatures of 18-22 degrees and high humidity all year round. Wintering is difficult, but experienced gardeners can succeed by creating optimal conditions.
Mimosa is not hardy
In its homeland, the mimosa is never exposed to low temperatures. Not only is it not hardy, it needs relatively high temperatures all year round so that it doesn't lose all its leaves.
It is very difficult to create the ideal indoor conditions in winter, so mimosas are usually only grown as annuals.
Mimosa grows best at these temperatures
The temperatures around a mimosa should be between 18 and 22 degrees. If the temperatures are lower than 12 degrees, it reacts by losing leaves and does not bloom. In the event of frost, the non-hardy plant dies immediately.
Overwintering mimosas – difficult but not impossible
Overwintering a mimosa is quite difficult but not impossible. Only experienced gardeners are able to keep mimosas for several years, for example as bonsai.
If you cannot create optimal conditions for overwintering, you should forgo overwintering and rather propagate or buy new mimosas next spring.
Optimal conditions for wintering
- Warm temperatures
- bright, not sunny location
- high humidity
The temperatures should be between 18 and 22 degrees even in winter. Do not place the plant directly next to a radiator. The mimosa should only receive direct sun in the morning or evening hours. Ensure there is sufficient humidity. The warmer it is in the room, the more humid the air has to be.
Place bowls of water nearby. Evaporation increases the humidity. This also prevents spider mite infestation.
Watere less in winter than in summer. Make sure that the root ball is just slightly moist.
Tip
Mimosa often doesn't look so nice after the first year. Since they are only partially compatible with cutting, they can hardly be brought back into shape. Overwintering therefore often does not make sense.
