Bloomipedia
Littleleaf sensitive-briar (Mimosa microphylla)
Photo: Jono via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Littleleaf sensitive-briar

Mimosa microphylla

Littleleaf sensitive-briar (Mimosa microphylla) is a vine in the Fabaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly May–July across the U.S.

Native in the lower 48

Littleleaf sensitive-briar is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 3 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in May–July.

13states where USDA records it
3Bloomipedia state lists include it
3,239U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi

Quick look

Mimosa microphylla, commonly called littleleaf sensitive-briar, eastern sensitive-briar, or little leaf mimosa, is a species of flowering plant in the legume family (Fabaceae). It is a perennial herb native to North America, where it is found primarily in the southeastern United States. Its typical natural habitat is in dry woodlands and forests, although it can also be found in disturbed areas.

  • It belongs to the Fabaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) / a vine with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 13 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as native to Alabama and Mississippi. NatureServe
  • In Georgia, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–August. iNaturalist
  • In Alabama, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in May–July. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 1,074 research-grade sightings of it in Georgia, ranking #89 among the 183 flowers on our Georgia list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 661 research-grade sightings of it in Alabama, ranking #95 among the 167 flowers on our Alabama list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 319 research-grade sightings of it in Mississippi, ranking #88 among the 154 flowers on our Mississippi list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (554 records)
Bloom time in the 3 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
Georgia–April–August1,074
AlabamaNativeMay–July661
MississippiNativeApril–July319

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
T5 See NatureServe for what T5 means. NatureServe
Georgia
Not listed Not on Georgia protected plants (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-10-.09; a 2026 update is proposed). NatureServe has no Georgia rank for it. Ga. R. 391-4-10-.09
Alabama
No list Alabama has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Alabama ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Alabama.
Mississippi
No list Mississippi has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Mississippi ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Mississippi.
Rare elsewhere
Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: VA (S1). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records littleleaf sensitive-briar in 13 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia.

Georgia counties with USDA records: Bartow, Berrien, Bibb, Bulloch, Camden, Carroll, Chatham, Chattooga, Cherokee, Clarke, Cook, Decatur, Dougherty, Elbert, Floyd, Gilmer, Hall, Harris, Hart, Jackson, Liberty, McIntosh, Morgan, Murray, Oglethorpe, Rabun, Spalding, Sumter, Talbot, Taylor, Telfair, Tift, Turner, White.

Alabama counties with USDA records: Autauga, Baldwin, Bibb, Chambers, Chilton, DeKalb, Greene, Hale, Lamar, Lawrence, Lee, Mobile, Perry, Pickens, Shelby, St. Clair, Sumter, Tuscaloosa, Washington.

Mississippi counties with USDA records: Alcorn, Attala, Benton, Calhoun, Choctaw, Clarke, Clay, Covington, Forrest, Franklin, George, Greene, Itawamba, Jefferson Davis, Jones, Kemper, Lafayette, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lee, Lincoln, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Newton, Noxubee, Pearl River, Perry, Pike, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Rankin, Scott, Smith, Stone, Tippah, Tishomingo, Union, Wayne, Webster, Wilkinson, Winston.

Names, range and relatives

Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Leptoglottis angustisiliqua, Leptoglottis chapmanii, Leptoglottis microphylla, Morongia angustata, Morongia microphylla, Morongia uncinata, Schrankia angustata, Schrankia microphylla, Schrankia uncinata.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 305 counties across 12 states; the most are in North Carolina (48), Mississippi (43), Florida (40).

Other Mimosa on Bloomipedia (3): Sunshine mimosa, Catclaw briar, Sensitive plant.

More from the Fabaceae family (114 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Lupines, White clover, Red clover, Eastern redbud, Purple crownvetch, Bird's-foot trefoil, Partridge pea, White sweetclover.

More Georgia flowers

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🌼 Blooms in GA: March–June
Persian silk tree (Albizia julibrissin)

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Sources