Name this weed !

[undercover]

Is it possible for someone here to put a name to this weed please so that I can then find a way to get rid of it before it takes over my entire garden ,

As can be seen from the photo it has a pink flower and the stem has very sharp thorns , what should make this plant easy to identify to those in the know is the fact that when you touch a leaf the leaf will quickly close up .

An interesting plant I agree but not a good one to have where kids are playing .

Thank you for any help you can give.

[RedBullHorn]

Common Name = Touch-Me-Not

Link

[Crossy]

We've got it too, any easy way to get rid? Wifey is pulling it out by hand

[samuijimmy]

"Sensitive plant" is another common name.. It's almost impossible to get rid of, as Crossy says get the wife out daily !

I've got it in my garden too, and have been trying get rid of it for over a year... slowing dwindling but still around

It really is a case of every time you see even the smallest one popping out the ground, pull it out don't wait! !

They seed very quickly after flowering so that does not help... try to avoid letting it flower too...

[troysantos]

The Thai name is ไมยราบ (My-ya-rap). Here's the wikipedia page in Thai http://th.wikipedia.org/wiki/ไมยราบ and the one in English http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimosa_pudica

In some ways, this plant is good for the soil. From the Wikipedia page: Mimosa pudica can form root nodules that are habitable by nitrogen fixing bacteria.^[16] The bacteria are able to convert atmospheric nitrogen, which plants cannot use, into a form that plants can use. This trait is common among plants in the Fabaceae family.

Aside from this positive aspect, it's considered to have herbal medicinal properties: (From the Thai Wikipedia page:) ในทางสมุนไพร ไมยราบมีรสจืดเฝื่อน มีฤทธิ์ขับปัสสาวะ ระดูขาว แก้ไตพิการ ^[2]ต้นแห้งต้มกับน้ำกินแก้อ่อนเพลีย ตานขโมย โรคกระเพาะอาหาร ใช้ทาแก้ผื่นคันและหัด ใบสดตำผสมกับเกลือและพิมเสน ใช้พอกแผลพุพอง รากแห้ง ต้มน้ำแก้ปวดประจำเดือน ปวดศีรษะ^[3]

ไมยราบมีคุณสมบัติพิเศษ คือ หากได้รับแรงสั่นสะเทือน ใบและก้านใบจะตอบสนองโดยการหุบตัวลงอย่างรวดเร็ว พืชในตระกูลใกล้เคียงกันและมีคุณสมบัติเช่นเดียวกันได้แก่ ผักกระเฉด

I was told the root has the medicinal properties, but the Wikipedia page doesn't specify which part/s of the plant are medicinal.

If you can, you might consider smothering it with a mulch, such as rice straw. That'll take care of pretty much everything if you put on say 10cm or so. I don't know how long you'd have to keep it on. Seeds last in the soil for a long long time. Disturbing the soil is one thing that "wakes the seeds up" so that they sprout and grow. So, this is an argument in favor of not disturbing the topsoil. Of course, water will also wake up the seeds, but at least if you don't disturb the topsoil you can remove one cause of the seeds that are already in the soil from germinating.

[undercover]

Yes my wife is also pulling it out by hand , I have tried spraying vinegar , petrol , bleach and the likes on the leaves but it does nothing , I know diesel will move it if need be but I just wondered if there was another way ?

[cooked]

A buJJer to get rid of. I go over the access road and surroundings a few times a year and pull out by hand, helped by much swearing. The ground bakes to concrete here outside the rainy season so I then have to use a spade/pick. Roundup has only a temporary effect unless you spray every month or so.

I remember raising these things in Switzerland and selling them at Christmas... I thought it a good idea, ha ha, kids love the way the leaves retract when you touch them.

[undercover]

Selling to kids at Christmas what a great idea , I would sell them cheap at one baht each , my advert would read come dig your own plant

[streamer]

There are some selective herbicides that will control Mimosa pudica. When spraying be careful not to distrub the leaves, otherwise the leaves will fold up, reducing leaf surface area and making the herbicides ineffective.

For biological control the best way is hand digging or using certain mulches. In larger areas, sheep will control its spread.

http://www.issg.org/database/species/management_info.asp?si=1002&fr=1&sts=〈=EN

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/control-mimosa-pudica-68711.html

http://blogs.reading.ac.uk/tropical-biodiversity/2014/02/mimosa-pudica-u-cant-touch-this/

[seedy]

We got a couple loads of topsoil late last year. Mixed with sawdust, some sand to break up the clay, cow manure.

Just started sprouting last week. Not a huge area, so up at 0600 each morning to pick it out.

MIL never had on this property before, but said if you let it get going, there is no stopping it.

[RickBradford]

In Australia, this is known as mimosa weed, and also as a real b*stard.

I have heavy clay soil here, and mimosa seems perfectly adapted, sends down those long single roots; it's about the only thing that can bust through the clay.

It seems to like hiding under other grasses and growths.

I wait until after a heavy shower, when the clay is looser, and then go at pulling it up with a pair of pliers. You have to get the whole root up, and I've seen some advice that suggests you should burn it as well or at least get rid of it from your property.

[loong]

Mimosa used to be a big problem for me.

As RickBradford says, pull it after the soil has had a good soaking. Persevere and it will be eliminated.

I see it so rarely now that I don't need to wear gloves when weeding.