"arran" wrote:

Hi there, I have a mimosa tree about 4ft. Had it for 2 years still no
flowers, any suggestions? Regards, Sheena.

If it is Acacia dealbata (Florist's Mimosa) it won't flower until it
is reasonably large - around 10-15ft or more - after about 3-5 years
of growth. There are smaller growing Acacias which flower at a more
convenient size and it all depends upon the one you have. Most
Acacias set their flower buds in autumn and these can be damaged or
killed by hard frosts during winter. If pot grown, they are also
vulnerable to drying out and this can also prevent or reduce
flowering. In this country, all Acacias must have full sun at all
times. Otherwise the shoots cannot ripen sufficiently to develop
flower buds.

Then there is the problem of locality. There are some Acacias that
can prove to be very hardy, but many are very susceptible to hard
frosts and prolonged temps below minus 5C. First to go are the flower
buds and then the shoot tips. Young Acacia dealbata can develop trunk
split at temperatures approaching minus 8 or 9C if these persist for
several days and even mature trees can be severely damaged.

The big 'tree' Mimosas (Acacia dealbata, A.baileyana etc.) are really
only suited to growing in warmer parts of the UK. They are often fine
in the warmer 'heat-sinks' found in large cities such as London and
Birmingham and are generally very reliable along the south coast.
Away from those regions growing them is a bit of a lottery. After
all, they are natives of Australia!

HTH

Dave Poole
Torquay, Coastal South Devon UK
Winter min -2°C. Summer max 34°C.
Growing season: March - November
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