My 2 year old Mimosa was hit hard by a late frost. There is new growth about 3 feet up from the ground, but none on the remaining 15 feet. Also, there is some kind of white fuzzy stuff growing about 10 feet up where the bark has split. I have pictures if anyone thinks they can help me. I'd really like to save it since there is a lot of sentimental attachment.
There's nothing to 'save'. It's alive, but the part above where the new growth is, is dead. You can't bring it back to life. Accept that fact and prune it off. Sentimental attachment after only two years? I don't get it, but...OK; just be aware that this is a weedy, invasive alien species that has more than its share of aesthetic problems - as you're experiencing; prone to freeze damage, Verticillium wilt, etc. It won't live forever - but its myriad seedlings probably will be around for the next few centuries.
Ok, I get it; no one likes mimosas. I posted this question in another forum and got pretty much the same response. Just so you know, I'm not just out planting invasive species left and right; this tree was a volunteer (probably from one of the numerous mimosas in our neighborhood) and the sentimental attachment comes from this being the first tree my husband and I planted (or let grow) together the weekend we got engaged; symbol of our love kinda thing, but that was before I found out how short-lived they are...go figure. I've actually gotten some borderline hate-mail over this! My neighborhood is already infested with them, so I didn't see any harm in keeping one for the pretty flowers and hummingbirds to make up for having to fight them off everywhere else. But thank you for your advice, I will prune accordingly and see what happens. P.S. Thanks for not accusing me of "murdering [my] local ecology" as another did in the other forum...geez...
