Dictionary:

mimosa

  (mĭ-mō'sə, -zə)

1. Any of various mostly tropical herbs, shrubs, and trees of the genus Mimosa, having globular heads of small flowers with protruding stamens and usually bipinnate, compound leaves that are often sensitive to touch or light.
2. See silk tree.
3. A drink consisting of champagne and orange juice.

[New Latin Mīmōsa, genus name, from Latin mīmus, mime (from the plant's apparent mimicry of animal reactions), from Greek mīmos.]

American name for a mixture of sparkling wine and orange juice, known in the UK as buck's fizz.

[mih-MOH-suh] 1. A garnish so named because it resembles the yellow mimosa flower. Consisting of finely chopped, hard-cooked egg yolk, it is sprinkled over salads and vegetables. 2. A cocktail of equal parts champagne and orange juice, served icy cold but not over ice. It's a favorite with brunch.

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Plant genus in the legume family Mimosaceae; contain toxin mimosine; includes M. invisa (giant sensitive plant), M. pudica (sensitive plant).

My-mo'sa. An immense genus of 400-500 species of mostly tropical American herbs, shrubs, and trees, only 2 much cultivated in the U.S.

Description
Leaves alternate, twice-compound, the leaflets numerous, usually very small, arranged feather-fashion. Flowers small, more or less tubular, in dense, ball-like clusters. Stamens protruding.

How to Grow
Where summers are short, start seeds indoors very early in peat pots. Transplant to sunny, well-drained garden soil or large containers, 2 plants per container. Where frost-free period is 7-8 months, sow seeds outdoors 3 weeks before last frost. Thin so that plants are 12 in. (30 cm) apart. Prefers warm weather.

Mimosa pudica
Sensitive Plant ; Humble Plant . To 3 ft. (90 cm) high, stems more or less hairy and slightly spiny. Flowers rose-purple or lavender, small round heads ⅔ in. (17 mm) in diameter, in long-stalked clusters growing from leaf axils. Tropical America; naturalized in Fla. and along the Gulf Coast. Generally grown as a novelty, since the leaves fold up to the stems when touched or in cloudy weather. Tender perennial grown as a tender annual.

The botanical name for sensitive plant.

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