Mimosa Wilt

We have a large mimosa tree shading the south side of the house and filtering our view toward the front gate. It's grown remarkably since we've been here, and our bird feeder hangs from it so we can see it from the dining area and family room. I love that tree, in spite of the profusion of crap that it rains down on the garden below it and the abuse it takes for blooming pink in the midst of the purple garden. I also have very fond memories of the mimosa tree in Mim's little yard in Park Fairfax. And I remember how sad she was when it suddenly decided to die very quickly.

This year we seem to have had more than the usual number of branches die back, including some large ones at the bottom. It's not looking all that good at the top, either. Googling around a bit I can see exactly what the problem is: mimosa wilt.

Once a tree is infected, death is imminent - there is no cure. Infected trees should be removed at once and destroyed, preferably through burning. Where a tree has died as a result of this disease, a species other than mimosa should be planted as a replacement.

Egad! Somehow I wish I could have had the news broken to me more gently :(.