Fauna
Plant · GBIF taxon 2969657

Sunshine Mimosa

Mimosa strigillosa

Also known as Powderpuff, Powderpuff Mimosa, Sensitive Vine

Sunshine mimosa carpets sandy coastal soils and pine flatwoods with dense mats of feathery bipinnate foliage, sending up whimsical lavender-pink spherical flower globes that resemble miniature powderpuffs throughout the warmer months. When brushed by a passing animal or raindrops, its delicate leaflets rapidly fold inward along the midrib in a classic display of thigmonastic movement before reopening several minutes later. As a native legume, its extensive network of creeping stolons hosts nitrogen-fixing rhizobia that enrich depleted soils and help prevent coastal erosion.

Ground CoverFloweringNitrogen Fixer
Sunshine Mimosa reference
Licensed reference(c) Roy Luck, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & prey
  • Sunlight
  • Atmospheric Nitrogen
  • Soil Moisture
Predators
  • White-tailed Deer
  • Cottontail Rabbit
  • Little Yellow Caterpillar
ThreatsBroadcast herbicide applications, aggressive non-native turfgrasses, and dense canopy closure
HabitatsSandy pine flatwoods, coastal prairies, roadsides, and open fields
Life spanPerennial; individual rootstocks persist for 5–15 years or more
Classification
  1. OrderFabales
  2. FamilyFabaceae
  3. GenusMimosa
  4. SpeciesMimosa strigillosa
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
  • Touch Response: Gently touch the tip of an open leaf to watch the leaflets fold shut within seconds.
  • Lawn Alternative: Plant rooted runners in well-drained sandy soil for a drought-tolerant, mowable turf alternative.
  • Pollinator Watching: Visit flowering patches in mid-morning to spot native bees and small skippers foraging for pollen.
Related species
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