Silk Tree, Mimosa Tree, Pink Siris (Albizia julibrissin)

Hey, Wingnut: I was looking over this entry in the PDB, and had to ask a dumb question, and you're a pretty patient person (Kenny will back me up on this, won't he?). When I was a young woman, I used to buy a mimosa scented closet spray. I loved it so much that I used it as a cologne. The only time I've found the scent since then was a bar of scented soap. I was once told that mimosa comes from a tree. Is the silk tree what they are referring to?

Could be, Weez ~ they don't have a strong fragrance, but I've noticed a slight, sweet, kind of tropical-gardenia-ey smell when I have a bunch of blooms together in a bouquet. But I really don't know for sure. Do you remember ANYTHING else about that spray? Any name or part of a name? Name of the maker or bottler? Maybe we can track it down and figure it out! Sounds yummy. :)

Yeah, I'm a pretty patient person ~ Kenny taught me that. Mother is the necessity... and all that. ;)

Thanks, Wingnut. That's been 40 years ago, so I don't remember what brand it was. The scent was just "mimosa". I'll try checking it out on the web. It was a haunting scent... just right for Halloween, eh? I also heard that the scent of mimosa is associate with the ghostly encounters. No, I am not joking!

It is so pretty tree really and my father said about this tree can't near by the fruit trees could kill them. Have you heard of this?

Oh, Groan, Weez! :) But cute! LOL! I'd never heard that ~ about the ghostly encounters ~ wild! Where did you hear that?

RR, I've never heard that one either. My biggest mimosa has been in the same spot for 30 years and there's a jujube tree 20 or so feet from it going strong ~ even had more fruit on it this year than ever! :) BUT there was a pomegranate tree not far from it that died. I'll have to ask Mom how old the pomagranate was and we'll see if it died from old age...

I have no idea where I heard about its "ghostly" qualities. As I recall, it is said to be one of the scents that often occurs just before an apparition appears. I probably got it out of some encyclopedia, or I might have dreamed it after a particularly bilious cucumber salad... you know how it is.

I wonder if that is a shred of circumstatial evidence that the mimosa is your fragrance? Seems to me that the South is a rather "ghostly" place ~ lots of spooky legends down here. It seems like there's a haunted house around every corner ~ five I've heard of here in Spicewood and quite a few more within 25 or 30 miles of here. Couple that with the mimosa tree being a very old "signature plant of the south" so to speak, like magnolia, so more than likely a fragrance spray was made from/because of it and used widely, for many many years. I'll bet many a grandma who later passed on used it. Maybe...

Well, Wingnut, I looked up "mimosa+paranormal", "mimosa+ghosts", and plain old "mimosa". Here's a couple references to the scent of mimosa associated with "those of the spirit worlds"!

Ghostly lady smells of mimosa: http://www.castles-of-britain.com/castle94.htm

"The Uninvited": http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/6302503493/002-3977637-9583232#product-details

It seems to be an old association that was carried on by Hollywood in such movies as "The Uninvited" and "Potergeist". Whatever the case, there seems to be many references to its scent. Is there some other form of mimosa they are referring to?

Interesting ~ I should ask a couple historians who have a bit of a paranormal bent, see if they've ever encountered either the smell themselves or stories of it in association with ghosts.

I really think it's the tree that everyone's referring to. The ONLY other mimosa I know of is orange juice and champagne ~ not an aroma that would inspire cologne and closet spray, I don't think. ;) Then again, there could be some other scent I just don't know of ... ? But I'd bet it's the tree ~ it IS quite a nice little scent.

If a person drank enough o.j. and champagne, I imagine it would be alot easier to see "spirits" wouldn't it? Yes, ask around a bit. That scent always appealed to me, but I haven't found it often.

LOLOL! Yep, spirits and pink elephants in tutus. ;) I'll let you know if I hear of anything about it.

Hi you both
I think this is the mimosa that the scent comes from http://plantsdatabase.com/go/2499/
I love albizia, so pretty.

Now i'm up that thread to have a look at the ghost links
~~~~oo~~~~~~hoooooooooo~~~~~~~~~

Well isn't that pretty! It really smells like almonds, Phil?! Nice!! Gotta' put that on my want list because I really like smelly things. ;)

AND it flowers in February! Such a lovely start to the year. The leaves and trunk are attractive all year round, and the flower buds look as if they're just about to burst forth right through the darkest winter days
Yummm

How cool! Judging from your zone, your February is like my February, so it'll be blooming around that time for me, too! COOL! Is it easy to start from seed?

Hey, Weez ~ did that spray/cologne/fragrance you remember smell like almonds?

i think it's a native of Australia Wingnut, it's probably autumn flowering there (february being late summer/autumn there i spose?). I did try without success from seed, but someone said you have to soak in hot water - i think it's one that germinates after forest fires. I'm sure there'll be some info out there, and i think it's easy to germinate if you do it right.
Unfortunately can't send you seed as i had to get rid of mine - too close to house and shading neighbours. I must get another for the bottom of the garden!!!!!

Thanks for the info and the offer anyway, Phil! If I find some, I'll share! :)