The genus of the Albizia is one of those genera of trees or small trees that are characterized by their extraordinary beauty and elegance. Its thin trunks and bipinnate leaves, in addition to its rather fast growth and its resistance to weak frosts (down to -5º), make it an ideal option to decorate our gardens.
La Albizia julibrissin »Summer Chocolate» It is gaining more and more popularity, and it is that, who can resist this purple color that attracts so much attention?
Well, nobody, don't you think? This little tree can grow to a height of ten meters, with a thin trunk, no more than 30cm thick. Its leaves, as previously mentioned, are bipinnate, and each leaflet is very small, less than a centimeter in length, which makes it have a almost feathery appearance, very elegant. Its leaves have a rather soft touch. It has no thorn. The stems are somewhat lighter purple than the leaves.
The trunk is woody, smooth, fragile when young. If there is a lot of wind, it is likely to twist easily, or even break. Therefore it will be highly recommended protect it from strong winds, placing it for example in a south orientation.
In the garden it will undoubtedly attract attention wherever it is. Can be used as isolated specimen, or in groups as you can see in the image above, or form it as bonsai.
Being a tree that over time will form a fairly wide crown, it is not very advisable to use it as a hedge, but rather as a »future shade tree».
In addition, we can enhance your beauty cplacing lively plants around the trunk.
Unlike other species of Albizia, this is undoubtedly the most expensive. And another drawback is that it is not easy to find. But once it is found ... you fall in love.
More information - Exotic trees of Spain
Image - Thompson and Morgan, Seattle's Garden
Hello, I have several julibrisim albizias that have been great for me with hardly any care, on the other hand the summer chocolate does not grow gracefully. 3 have already dried at the beginning of last summer and now I have 3 new ones. One of them is quite large, but they are paralyzed ... if I shake them, the few leaves that they have begin to fall, and they are curled up, without strength ... and in front the julibrisim that are splendid ... I do not know what my fault is, if they are I water a lot and that is why I dried them ... if a little ... if the heat in the interior of Murcia burns them ... I am in a mess and that makes me not treat them normally and perhaps leads to their loss ... I give them different irrigation when they are newly planted ... let's see if you can tell me something
Hello Bernardo.
You seem to have the same problem as me: the green leafed albizias, the julibrissin, are fancy, but the chocolate ones… nothing. There is no way. Surely it is the type of soil: limestone, compact, hard. It is difficult for the roots to take root in this soil, and finally they end up weakening with the arrival of the Mediterranean heat.
To do? Well, it would be to take a somewhat desperate measure considering that we are almost in summer, but it could work: extract the tree from the ground, make a hole of 1m x 1m, and fill it with good soil, that is, with substrate of universal crop that carries perlite and compost. You can even mix compost with 30 or 40% perlite (or similar).
Good luck.
Thanks a lot. I will tell you, if I finally get them to work .. the case that in the nursery where I buy them they are nice to see them and he waters them every day for 20 minutes .. the climate is milder because it is attached to the sea and in my house I am more to the interior .. they have told me that they are very sensitive to fungi in the root with excess moisture .. but I am being careful with the water. a greeting
Let's see how it goes. Good luck.