How to Grow Mimosa Hostilis

Mimosa hostilis, more commonly known as jurema or mimosa tenuiflora, is a tree from the pod fruit family that is native to Mexico and South America. The roots and bark have been used in South American Indian tribal ceremonies for centuries to give warriors preparing for battle a psychedelic euphoria. Although it is not illegal to grow your own a mimosa hostilis tree, using or selling the root or bark is.

Sharp knifePaper towelPlastic bagPotPerilite, grit or another not-organic, sandy soilOrganic soilLiquid fish fertilizer

Make a cut or nick in the large end of the seed. Mimosa hostilis seeds, being from the pod fruit family, are very hard. Making a cut or nick in the seed will help promote germination, similar to what some gardeners do with bean or pea seeds to help the new sprout escape the pod seed.

Soak the seeds in very hot, but not boiling, water for 30 minutes to an hour. The seeds that have plumped up (or swelled) after soaking are more likely to germinate. Re-soak the others in hot water in the hope that they will swell.

Wrap the swelled seeds in a wet paper towel. Place the towel in a plastic bag to keep the towel moist. Check the seed-germination process and the moistness of the paper towel every other day. Re-wet the paper towel if it appears to be drying out. In a few days (up to a week), the seeds should show signs of sprouting.

Plant the germinated seeds in a small pot filled with perlite, grit or any non-organic soil. This will help keep the moisture level uniform during sprouting and early growth, and prevent mold. Plant each seed 2 inches deep in its own small pot.

Place the planted pots in a well lit, but not hot, location. Mimosa hostilis is native to rain forests, so it prefers a more humid, filtered light over direct, hot sunlight.Germination and plant development usually takes two to six weeks. During that time, keep the potting mixture consistently moist, but not overly wet and soggy.

Transplant young mimosa hostilis plants into organic soil when they are a few inches tall. Provide the young plants with a lot of root space, diffused or filtered light and regular watering. As the mimosa hostilis plant establishes and begins to grow, occasionally fertilize the tree with a liquid fish fertilizer.

It is much easier to find seeds to start a mimosa hostilis tree than young saplings. It will take a minimum of three years before the young tree will produce flowers and seed pods. A full-grown mimosa hostilis tree can reach a height of 15 feet.In mild, somewhat tropical locations, mimosa hostilis trees can be moved outside, either in pots or directly in the ground