Albizia julibrissin Chocolate Fountain

Albizia julibrissin 'Chocolate Fountain' is a new American variety, unique for its weeping habit and chocolate-coloured foliage! It is a deciduous tree with drooping branches, adorned with large, light, and finely divided foliage reminiscent of ferns or mimosa, its close relatives. Its unique summer flowering in soft pink, long and silky stamens dramatically enhances the purple, black, and copper tones of its foliage. The Albizia is a low-maintenance tree that can tolerate temperatures as low as -15 °C, heat, and drought. It is ideal for row or solitary planting in Mediterranean gardens, coastal areas, and urban spaces. The compact size of this variety makes it perfectly suited for container or small garden cultivation, where it can effectively serve as a shade tree and bring a touch of exotic colour. Plant it in full sun in well-drained garden soil for optimal development. 

Albizia julibrissin is a small deciduous tree in the Fabaceae family, native to Iran and eastern China. The 'Chocolate Fountain' variety was recently developed by North Carolina State University and patented in 2013. Under favorable growing conditions, it can reach heights of 5m (16 in 5 ft) with a spread of 4m. It blooms from July to September, producing fluffy and silky inflorescences that have earned it the name "silk tree." These clusters consist of long stamens white at the base and soft pink at the ends, surpassing the rudimentary corollas grouped in heads. The fragrance of the flowers is most noticeable up close, powdery and sweet. Flowering gives way to a fruit, a flat pod measuring 8 to 20 cm (3.1 - 7.9 in) in length, initially green then turning brown, containing 5 to 15 fairly large oval seeds that germinate easily. The leaves, deciduous, are bronze-green in spring and purple for the rest of the year, alternate and very large, measuring 15 to 40 cm (5.9 - 15.7 in), which hang beautifully in cascades from the drooping branches. They are divided into large leaflets, themselves subdivided into small leaflets. The bark is thin, initially grey-green then grey, almost smooth, with whitish lenticels. Finally, and this is a characteristic of plants in the Fabaceae family, the roots form nodules capable of fixing atmospheric nitrogen through the presence of specific bacteria in these organs. The taproot system of this small tree does not tolerate transplanting well. The lifespan of the Albizia is variable, usually reaching about thirty years in European climates.

With its majestic and airy silhouette the Silk Tree is planted alone to provide light shade on the terrace, for example. Its blooms accentuate its exotic aspect. In mild climates, it can be combined with oleanders and pittosporums. Care should be taken to ensure its hardiness by planting it in well-drained soil, in full sun, and sheltered from prevailing winds and cold drafts. The compact size and weeping habit of this variety make it particularly well-suited for container or pot cultivation on a balcony or terrace.