An examination of the history, harvesting and use in perfumery of the beautiful, fragrant yellow flower linked with sensitivity - mimosa
Mimosa trees were first introduced to Australia from the tropical parts of America in the late 1800s as a curiosity. People were fascinated by the fact that when the leaves of the trees were touched, they reacted by folding up in a hedgehog fashion. Mimosa did not arrive on the French Riviera until the 19th century, when the famous British explorer, Captain James Cook imported the first small saplings. It quickly became the flower of choice for members of the British and Russian aristocracies in the decoration of their secondary residences in fashionable Cannes, amongst them Lord Brougham, Sir Woolfield and the son of the Russian Tsar Nicholas II.
Mimosa in the Med
The sunny, mild Mediterranean climate encouraged proliferation of this plant and today there are more than 1200 varieties of mimosa, 700 of which were originally seeded in Australia. Most mimosas bloom only once a year, although some, such as the Retinoid Acacia, also known as Four-Season Mimosa, are in flower several times a year.
The first plantations of Mimosa trees for the perfumery industry were established in 1865. Perfumers were quick to recognise and appreciate mimosa's suave and delicate fragrance. Its abundance in the hills of Provence also made it a good choice for the development of perfumes. The hills of the Tanneron region above Cannes are delicately scented with the sweet, heady, almondy fragrance preceding the winter mimosa harvest. In February, the Massif de Tanneron takes on the appearance of a range of golden mountains as the largest mimosa forest in Europe comes into bloom.
The history of mimosa has, however, been beleaguered by problems. The first great tragedy was in 1929 when Provence experienced one of its worst ever winters, during which time most of the trees died.
Two years later the local town of Mandelieu La Napoule celebrated the diligent perseverance of the mimosa growers in restoring their crops by staging the first Fête du Mimosa on 16 February 1931. Bormes les Mimosa, Mandelieu la Napoule, Cannes la Bocca and Le Tanneron all continue to pay homage to the much loved mimosa by featuring annual carnivals and exhibitions in February and early March.
Thousands of tons of flowers have been grown in this region and for many years they have been cut and exported all over the world. As early as 1946, about a dozen truckloads of mimosa flowers left the region daily for London where they decorated the drawing rooms of the city's highest society. Unfortunately, the terrible winter of 1956 brought a savage frost that destroyed the majority of the mimosa plantations in southern France. But once again, the resilience of the growers in restoring mimosa plantations over a considerable number of years to yellow forests only served to endear it more keenly to flower lovers at home and abroad.
Flower stories
Mimosa trees produce very fragile flowers and maintaining the quality of the bloom after cutting is a difficult task that requires specialised know-how and technique. Mimosa flowers are unusual in that they need to be forced.
This biological phenomenon has two origins. It is rumoured that years ago, a young girl coming back from school picked a bunch of mimosa not quite in bloom to give to her mother. Unimpressed but not wishing to offend her daughter, the mother put the bunch out of the way in a separate room without water and thought no more about it. The next morning the mimosa was a mass of yellow blossoms. Another story has it that a gardener from Cannes La Bocca had raked up all the branches from a mimosa tree and dumped them on the compost heap. Thanks to the warmth and humidity the mimosa blossomed.
“The sunny, mild Mediterranean climate encouraged proliferation of mimosa and today there are more than 1200 varieties of mimosa, 700 of which were originally seeded in Australia” |
These events are said to have led to the forcing techniques that prevail today, where the plants must be kept at 25ºC with a humidity of 85ºC. This allows the flower to bloom, a condition maintained with a special powder known as Chrystal. It is possible to visit the forceries, the workshops where the green mimosa flowers are taken to bloom before being exported. An impressive eight million bouquets of mimosa are sent to destinations worldwide annually.
Mimosa is also used in cookery. The candied blossoms make decorative and tasty additions to springtime deserts and the special mimosa-based cocktail Le Tann-erois, a recipe which blends mimosa syrup and cidre bouché, is frequently served during the annual harvest festivities.
Mimosa in perfume
Countries that have cultivated mimosa for the perfumery trade include Morocco and India, but the Vallée du Tanneron is where the mimosa processed in Grasse comes from. The harvest season lasts for about four weeks (February to early March) and is subject to climatic conditions. Frosts and snow can influence the plant's yield as can a dry summer, which can affect the flower bud growth.
Initially the enfleurage technique was used but the concrete is now obtained with volatile solvent extraction. To obtain 1kg of mimosa concrete, between 110kgs and 125kgs of mimosa flowers (and twigs) are required. The yield for the absolute is approximately 30%. Annual production of mimosa concrete fluctuates between 200kgs and 1.5 tonnes, according to weather conditions, including frosts and other extremes. Last year was a very good one for mimosa production, but although the 2006 harvest is now in its quality is not yet known.
The mimosa absolute is described as floral, powdery and green, and it also has a delicate watery quality. It is used in cosmetics and soaps and has also been linked with many fine fragrances.
The sunshine quality of mim-osa is evidenced in L'artisan Parfumeur, with Mimosa pour Moi, by Molinard Jeune with Le Mimosa and by L'Occitane with L'Eau d'Azur.
Fragrances in which mimosa plays a vital part, but is not the main theme of the fragrance, include Farnesiana by Caron, Chanel Nº 5, Moment Suprême by Jean Patou, Casaque by Jean d'Albret, Kalispera by Jean Desses, Masumi by François Coty, Paris by Yves St Laurent, Byzance by Rochas, Amarige by Givenchy as well as Summer by Kenzo.
A scent which truly celebrates mimosa is Champs Elysées by Guerlain, where the leaf extract features in the top note and the bloom plays a major part in the heart structure.
The yellow flower is the star of the remix of Givenchy’s Amarige in the context of its Exclusive 2005 Harvest collection. Originally created in 1991, the juice has been reworked to showcase mimosa harvested in Grasse in 2005. The original scent's juice comprises top notes of mandarin leaf and orange blossom, followed by mimosa, jasmine, ylang-ylang and gardenia notes. The new version features the green sensation of the 2005 mimosa harvest in its top notes along with notes of orange blossom. Heart notes highlight the mimosa absolute's rich and radiant quality, while the base notes of the juice accentuate the blossom's powdery aspects. Mimosa makes up about 25% of the new formula, compared with about 10% in the original, providing a true ode to mimosa and the luminosity of spring.