Scientific name: Albizia julibrissin
Family: FABACEAE or MIMOSACEAE
Common names: “Silk tree” “Mimosa”
Plant Type: Deciduous tree
Conditions:
Zone: 6-9
Light: Full sun – slight shade
Exposure: Sheltered from cold, loves the heat
Soil: Moderately fertile – poor gravelly soil, doesn’t like clay
Moisture: Average – drier, grows faster with more water, must be well drained
Aesthetic:
Plant Size: H 20′ W 15′
Leaf and Stem shape: Large, mimosa-like bipinnate leaves
Flower: Fluffy rose-pink flower-heads, with prominent stamens, open in summer
Pruning: Minimal
Maintenance: Low, can be grown as a single trunk tree or multi stemmed shrub
Landscape use: Dr. Seuss garden, city courtyard, focal point
Propagate: By seed and cuttings
Pests & Disease: Verticillium wilt can cause dieback
Comments: Beautiful unique flowering trees but can be difficult to keep alive for long, needs the perfect conditions
Cultivars: ~AGM winners: A. j. f. rosea – hardiest & A. j. ‘Summer Chocolate’
