138. Pimlico Mimosa

A glorious sight (and smell) in February or early March, an Australian tree dazzles in Westminster.

Mimosas, or silver wattle trees, originate in sunny Australia where they flower in the coolest months; but they thrive in London, too, with their yellow aromatic flowers, which appear as early as January in particularly mild years, lighting up the winter gloom. In Pimlico the dashing mimosa on the corner of Lupus Street and Moreton Terrace remembers a fellow Australian: look out for a blue plaque to Billy Hughes, a former Australian Prime Minister, who was born at number 7.

Species details

Mimosa
Acacia dealbata

Where to find it

Lupus Street, Pimlico, London SW1V 3EB
///scrap.less.vouch | 51.488451, -0.137366

Mimosa notes

Golden pom-pom flowers and feather-like evergreen leaves of Acacia dealbata

Originating from southern Australia and Tasmania, Mimosa was introduced to these shores in 1820. Sometimes planted in London’s parks and gardens, it is also a very occasional street tree. In its native habitat, Mimosa is a pioneer species, with similar characteristics to alder or birch in northern Europe: it likes disturbed soils, it is fast-growing but short-lived, and it does not tolerate shade from larger, more slow-growing trees.

Apart from a relatively short lifespan – Mimosas do not survive for longer than about 40 years – the Achilles heel for this species is freezing temperatures. Any lower than -5ºC and frostbite can kick in, potentially killing young trees completely, so this is a tree for mild oceanic climates or urban heat islands.

The eagle-eyed among you may have noticed this very tree is the cover star of the latest, third, edition of my book London’s Street Trees.