Plants

maricá

Mimosa bimucronata

Family: Fabaceae · Genus: Mimosa

giant sensitive tree

Placenta II Medium Fertilizer biomass 🌱 Nitrogen fixer 🪓 Coppices after cutting

maricá — mauroguanandi · CC BY · Wikimedia Commons

A pioneer leguminous tree or small tree, spiny and much-branched, 4-8 m tall (occasionally to 15 m), native to eastern and southern Brazil. It fixes nitrogen, is aggressive and soil-improving, much used in restoring degraded and floodable areas and as a living fence. It flowers in white panicles and produces distinctive brick-red pods.

Götsch succession

Götsch stage: Placenta II
Ecological role: Pioneer
Primary stratum: Medium
Strata: Medium, High
Biomass class: Fertilizer biomass

Environment

Light requirement: Full sun
Water requirement: Moderate
Drought tolerance: Moderate
Waterlogging tolerance: High
Soil pH range: 4–5
Preferred soil texture: Clayey, Loamy, Silty
Frost tolerance: -5.4 °C

Morphology

Mature height: 4–8 m
Recommended spacing: 0.25–3 m
Root system: Taproot
Root depth: Deep
Growth rate: Fast
Lifespan: 20–30 years
Time to first harvest: 12 months
Productive lifespan: 6 years

Biomes & climate

Atlantic Forest Native
Pampa Native

Köppen classes

Humid subtropical (Cfa) Native
Oceanic (Cfb) Native
Subtropical with dry winter (Cwa) Suitable
Tropical savanna with dry winter (Aw) Suitable

Where it fits in a guild

Maricá takes the Medium stratum in the Placenta II phase of succession — in a guild it shares the line with species from the other strata, each harvesting light at its own height, in its own time. It also fixes nitrogen, feeding the soil for its line neighbors.

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🪴 Cultivation

An aggressive pioneer, good for recovering waterlogged and flood-prone areas, but also grows on drained or rocky sites in full sun; widely used as a thorny living fence. Can regenerate densely.

✂️ Management & Pruning

A fast-growing pioneer that coppices vigorously — it resprouts strongly after cutting from both the collar and various heights, can be managed as coppice and re-cut within 2–3 years. It does not self-prune but accepts branch and formative/conduction pruning well, done periodically. Cut to the base or any height to release light to crops; its fast-decomposing foliage is soil-improving biomass and the wood is high-calorific firewood (burns even green). Cut best in the warmer wet season for stronger regrowth. The leaves contain mimosine (relevant to ruminant fodder, not chop-and-drop mulch).

📅 Phenology

Flowering months: December, January, February, March

Fruiting months: April, May, June, July

❓ Frequently asked questions

How long until the first harvest of maricá?

The first harvest of maricá comes around 12 months after planting.

What spacing is recommended for maricá?

The recommended spacing for maricá is 0.25–3 m.

How tall does maricá grow?

At maturity, maricá reaches 4–8 m tall.

When does maricá fruit?

Fruiting of maricá occurs in April, May, June, July.

When does maricá flower?

Flowering of maricá occurs in December, January, February, March.

What stage and stratum does maricá occupy in a syntropic system?

In a syntropic system, maricá belongs to the placenta ii stage, occupying the medium stratum.

Does maricá fix nitrogen?

Yes — maricá is a nitrogen-fixing species that helps fertilize the system's soil.

Functions

🌱 Nitrogen fixer 🌿 Biomass producer 🪴 Nurse plant Living fence Fuelwood 🍯 Melliferous Windbreak

Propagation

Seed

Citations

Embrapa Florestas — Maricá (Mimosa bimucronata), Circular Técnica 94 (height_min_m, height_max_m, ecological_role, nitrogen_fixer, biomes, functions, gotsch_stage, pruning_notes, lifespan_years_min, lifespan_years_max, productive_lifespan_years, time_to_first_harvest_months, frost_tolerance_c, waterlogging_tolerance, root_depth, ph_min, ph_max)
Flora e Funga do Brasil (REFLORA) — Mimosa bimucronata (scientific_name, family, genus, biomes)
Plants of the World Online (POWO), Kew (scientific_name, powo_id)
IBFlorestas — Maricá (spacing_min_m, spacing_max_m)
Useful Tropical Plants — Mimosa bimucronata (growth_rate, waterlogging_tolerance, time_to_first_harvest_months)