We celebrate women with mimosa

At the end of January, the splendid mimosa illuminates our trails and hills. Often considered an ancestral occitan plant, its history reveals a more recent origin. In reality, this charming shrub took root on the Mediterranean coast only in the early 19th century, thanks to its import into France by the famous explorer James Cook, from Australia.

Seduced by the sunny climate and the rare frosts of the French Riviera, the mimosas quickly adapted to their new environment, flourishing in the esterel and Tanneron mountains.

Mimosa is available in over 1,200 species around the world, offering a variety of colours and shapes. With high resistance under favourable climatic conditions, it is growing rapidly, growing from 30 to 60 cm per year, and can live up to 50 years.

This multi-faceted shrub has been associated with many virtues and uses. In Australia, its red wood is known for its boomerang production. It is of particular religious importance in some sacred texts and has magical powers in Egypt. It also symbolizes magnificence, elegance, tenderness and expresses a message of friendship. In dreams, it is the sign of security; The mimosa also embodies female energy, which explains why it became the emblem of the Women's Day since 1946, celebrated on 8 March.

Jeanne Monin