If any of you all live in or around the following states... DC, FL, GA, KY, LA, MA, NC, NJ, SC, TN, VA, WV you should really take a look at the link below. Albizia julibrissin (mimosa) is an environmentally-damaging exotic pest plant in those areas. Here is a link that might be useful: Mimosa/Albizia julibrissin

Mimosa's require dark and 80 degree soil to germinate. Constant bottom heat until roots are well established also helps. Nicking the seeds with an exacto knife or razor blade helps but isn't really necessary. Plant 1/2" deep in good moist potting mix (not dirt) and cover so light doesn't get to it. I use several thicknesses of damp newspaper. Good luck.;) Dave

Krycek1984, I want to address a few points brought up in your post. First, there's really need for more personal attacks. There were enough of those already in this thread. While I sometimes disagree with iforgotitsonevermind, she certainly isn't generally ignorant, and even when she and I see things in almost totally opposite ways, I don't think she tries to be arrogant. Maybe she gets a little over excited, but don't well all. Iforgotitsonevermind's concern was not whether mimosa is currently considered an invasive pest in the area, but whether it had the potential to be in the near future. Your assurance that it "will not become an invasive species unless global warming goes crazy", falls short of convincing me. As I said above, I'm not convinced that it will ever become a problem, but your assertion, that it's not even close, doesn't convince me the other way, either, and seems to be based more on feeling than proof. Your question about who cares if you plant Bradford pears can have many answers including a number of invasive plant groups (which are concerned about their damage to the environment in many areas), neighbors (who worry about the trees falling over the property line onto their car, producing a foul smell, or making the neighborhood ugly when they fall apart at an early age), and those that want to share information they've learned from their mistakes or observations.

Growing up NYC, the tree was almost a dominant tree species in urban areas of Brooklyn and Queens County decades ago so they have been in the 'North' for a while now. I must confess I thought the trees gorgeous in bloom let alone the feathery foliage. They seem to do best in highly urbanized environments (perhaps where nothing else survived!)--similar to Ailanthus. Now that I am in a more suburban area (though still in the immediate NYC Metro Area and same gardening zone), I hardy ever see them. They are rarely planted, nice specimens are unknown to me, and they are almost never sold in local nurseries. I was told by a nurseryman a few years ago, that some virus or blight did a number of them in. The only place I still see them is along the highways, but only rarely. I don't grow one now or even find them as attractive as in the past. I know they are listed as an invasive in NJ but after doing years of weeding in a rather sizable yard, I have yet to find one growing wild. Any number of other plants (many sold in nurseries) seem infinitely weedier. Am assuming they might be a bigger problem tree in warmer winter areas of the Southeast.