Mimosa pudica

• Grows well on full sun exposure and is a good option for replacing grasses
• Pollinated mainly by native stingless bees.
• Each plant can produce over 700 bristled seeds which can be carried on animal fur, feathers or on people's clothing.
• Sedative, anodyne and antispasmodic. It is use as pain reliever, sleep aid and to treat toothaches.
• Is a nitrogen fixer in the soil and useful for ecological restoration. PROPAGATION: Seeds or cuttings

Native plant (0.2-0.7m tall), usually as a creeping herb but sometimes sub-scandent or bush-like grown, mainly in pastures, roadsides or lawns. Occurs in many different elevations and bioregions of the neotropics.

It has thorny stems and about 20 pairs of pinnate leaves that fold up when touches as a mechanism to prevent herbivory. The fluffy flowers that are light purple are pollinated mainly by stingless bee species. Each plant can produce over 700 bristled seeds which can be carried on animal fur, feathers or on people's clothing.

Mimosa has a reputation as a sedative, anodyne and antispasmodic. It is use as pain reliever, sleep aid and to treat toothaches. There are different preparations depending on the use: Boil a handful of leaves in 1L of water and drink the water next day throughout the day. Boil the root for 30minutes to produce a concentrate from which you can make a poultice for toothaches. Dry and grid the leaves to make a powder to add in food to alleviate nervous problems and insomnia.

PROPAGATION: Even though Mimosa is consider an invasive plant by some people, it is a popular house plant use as a cover crop and to prevent erosion. Also is a nitrogen fixer in the soil and could be easily propagated by seeds or by cuttings. At least 3 more species of the Mimosa genera occur in the MachucaValley.