The Kalkora mimosa is a member of the legume family (Fabaceae) native of Northeastern India. Kalkora Mimosa is limited in cultivation in the United States with a naturalized population in Durham, North Carolina. It can form into medium to large trees and may be found in thickets or thinly planted forests at sea level to 6500 feet. The crown is graceful and spreading to provide shade. The plant can grow as a shrub or tree generally 8 to 25 feet tall but up to 60 feet tall in its native environment. Plant in average well-drained soiled in full sun to partial shade. If pruning is needed do so in late winter. The white to yellowish powder-puff blooms that occur in May and June are followed by flattened legumes containing 4-12 seeds. The leaves are compound and green and fold closed in the evening until morning. The tree is similar to the silk tree or mimosa which has an abundance of pink flowers. The two trees have been noted to hybridize together. They both readily self-seed and have the potential to be invasive. Please consider planting native trees. See suggestions to the left. Insects, Diseases and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
more than 60 feet
NC region
Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 8 ft. 0 in. - 25 ft. 0 in. | Width: 25 ft. 0 in. - 35 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
High
Canopy layer
2 - Understory (15-40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Spreading; Vase
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Gold/Yellow; Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Oblong; Obovate
Leaf feel
Rough
Leaf size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
The leaves are bipinnate, yellow-green in color, and appear on long stems. Each stem is lined with pinnae which appears opposite of each other. There may be 3 to 6 pairs, and each measures 4-8 inches long. The leaflets are 7-15 pairs, appear opposite to each other, and are oblong to obovate in shape. The leaflet measures 0.5 inches to 1.5 inches long and 0.2 inches to 0.5 inches wide. The upper and undersides of the leaflets are pubescent. The leaves close in the evening and reopen at sunrise.
Fall color
Insignificant
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; White
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Head
Flower shape
Dome
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
There are 2 to 7 powder-puff flower heads arranged in clusters. They appear axillary or at the terminal ends of branches. The flowers have 25-30 silk threads per head and appear white in color and then change to yellow. They measure 0.8 inches to 1 inch long. The flowers bloom in May through June after the leaves have fully emerged.
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit color
Brown/Copper; Green
Fruit type
Legume
Fruit size
> 3 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Fruit detail
The fruits are narrowly oblong dark brown pods that measure 3 inches to 6 inches in length and 0.6-1.4 inches wide. Each pod contains 4-12 seeds.
Bark color
Dark Gray; Light Brown
Bark detail
The bark is rough and grayish-brown.
Stem color
Brown/Copper
Stem detail
The branchlets are brown and are lightly covered with white hair when young.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
india
Attracts
Bees; Butterflies; Pollinators
Play value
Attractive Flowers; Shade
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall
Fruit type
Legume
Landscape Use
Garden tags
#deciduous #flowering tree #yellow flowers #white flowers #full sun tolerant #seed pods #fast growing #weedy #shade tree #partial shade tolerant