Mamosa

[matt]

A friend of mine pointed out what he called a Mamosa Tree to me.  But I cannot find out anything about it.
I am in Southeast Ohio but it is more common in southern states.
It has fern like leaves from a distance, have not been close enough to see otherwise.
And it blooms in the late summer (just ending here) with white and pink blossoms.
Any ideas on either a different common name or even the Latin Name?
Thanks in advance.
Matt

[Don P]

Hi Matt,
Try searching with the spelling Mimosa. On a previous page on tree and plant ID here we had the smallest member of that family I had seen, sensitive mimosa. Down at the Clemson (SC) botanical gardens a month ago there were some small ground cover plants that were not sensitive but had to be members of the family also, had just never looked down for em. Its in the legume family. We have your tree in southwestern VA. Mimosa is the only common name I've heard for the tree.

[Jeff]

Matt check this thread
http://www.forestryforum.com/cgi-bin/board/YaBB.pl?board=tree_id&action=display&num=995858607&start=5

Is that your suspect?

[swampwhiteoak]

I've also heard mimosa called "silk tree" although not very commonly.  The one growing in SE Ohio is most likely Albizia julibrissin (sp.?) which is a tree, not just a ground cover.  

It's used some as an ornamental, although in my opinion it is a pretty poor choice.  Mostly just grows in fence rows as an escape (originally from China).