Mimosa (Albizia julibrissin) 

This powder puff-flowered herb has become quite popular in Western herbalism in the past few decades, primarily thanks to herbalists trained in Traditional Chinese Medicine who have shared their positive experiences with it. In Chinese medicine, the flowers (he huan hua) are used to calm the spirit and to help release stuck emotions. They can assuage irritability, anxiety, and insomnia, especially when the sleep is fitful or filled with nightmares. The flowers are also used to relieve stifling sensations in the chest due to emotional constraint.

Its use was first documented in the Shen Nong Ben Cao (Divine Husbandman’s Classic of the Materia Medica) during the 2nd century for its mood supportive and calming properties as well as a tonic. Chinese people traditionally recommend its use for anyone who is suffering from grief as a result of a severe loss.

The bark (he huan pi) is also considered to be very calming to the spirit. Categorized in the Chinese Materia Medica as a calming spirit herb, the bark is thought to ‘anchor’ the spirit, while the flowers lighten it. Many herbalists combine the two for a synergistic effect. Note: Mimosa trees are invasive in parts of the U.S., so rather than cultivating them, we recommend finding some already growing in your area. The fantastical pink blooms are a dead giveaway!