Hi There
Mimosa trees will grow here, but they do need a site protected from harsh winds. They have brittle wood and are prone to limbs breaking off. Keep looking, you will probably find one somewhere.

A common item. But most places are not nearly stocked up yet. Try later in the season, spring or summer.

I like them. We bought two, last year.

Quite a few breakage problems are due to people neglecting them, and letting problems and weakness accumulate.

If you properly prune it, or at least keep an eye on it, yearly, that type of tree can do better than its reputation.

I found the following site: http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/1764/index.html
There's a bunch of negative reviews about the tree. Does this pertain to the PNW? Seems like all the negative reviews come from the South Eastern part of the US.

Definitely weedy in the southeast. But so are a lot of other favored northwest trees and shrubs that don't seem to be a problem here (Paulownia...WEED!).

The purple-leaved cultivar is a knockout. There is one very mature purple specimen at the Atlanta Botanical Garden that almost takes your beath away.

Laura

This is my favorite tree. I planted it 3 years ago and the trunk is now at least 4 inches through and the canopy gives wonderful dapled shade. The flowers continue right to frost and the leaves fold up at night time. It's lovely. The only downside is the droppings from the flowers and leaves. I have it underplanted with epimedium and a swish of my hand hides all of the mess "under the carpet". I love it. btw, seed pods but no germinations.

One of my paulownias apparently did seed into my neighbors frequently irrigated flower bed awhile back, as a bunch of seedlings came up there last year. I have also seen spontaneous trees growing out of a couple dry stone walls - another place where there would be some protection from the usual summer drought in this area. Without the Eastern summer rains we are unlikely to see these filling unoccupied land like they do back there.

I've also seen Paulownia reseed itself here on occasion, but only in irrigated places.

Albizia doesn't seem to get adequate summer heat in our region to ripen the seed, until you get down to southern Oregon. It also does not have the same disease problems here that it does in the south, and can be quite long-lived.

Many local silk trees have dead interior branches, due to disease problems.

I've noticed that, but I always thought it was just older/lower branches dying off as new ones developed above them. What disease is it, I'm curious?

I haven't paid enough attention to remember. During the 1970s it came up in classes at Edmonds Community College where the list of prohibited and acceptable street trees for Seattle was used. Think that list mentioned it, and probably the instructor as well.

I have a patio set with flagstones where I planted 3 mimosas, 2 straight species and one rosea. Patio is raised and gets direct summer sun plus radiant heat off the house walls. The rosea is fairly recently planted (last fall) and small, did really well until this freezing winter. Looks like tops have died down to about 1 foot off ground. Don't know whether to wait to see if the dead part resuscitates before lopping off. New to trees and their behaviors. The rosea was supposed to be more cold-hardy.

There are many mimosas around here, some big and full with beautiful summer flowers. Hope my baby rosea survives. They like heat and they like to be watered in the summer.

Is it good idea to plant a Mimosa tree in your yard? Any problem about this tree?

I planted one about 20 years and everyone is amazed when they see it. Lovely scent and this time of year it is in full bloom. My property is on a slope so I look down on it from my deck. It is someone protected from the wind by my house as branches can break in a wind/rain storms though this has only happened once to my tree.