Albizia julibrissin Rouge de Tuiliere

Albizia julibrissin 'Rouge de Tuiliere' is a variety of silk tree that offers spectacular summer flowering, with clusters of silky pompoms in a reddish pink. Like all albizias, this small tree has a characteristic graceful habit, like an umbrella, as well as finely cut mimosa-like foliage. It provides light shade, and its foliage appears fairly late in spring. These qualities make it an excellent small shade tree for a terrace. In addition to its ornamental qualities, the 'Rouge de Tuiliere' Albizia is a particularly hardy selection, suitable for many regions. 

Albizia julibrissin 'Rouge de Tuiliere' is a horticultural creation. The species, sometimes called the Persian silk tree, is a deciduous small tree in the Fabaceae family, whose range extends from Iran to eastern China. The 'Rouge de Tuiliere' variety can reach 7-8 m (23 - 26 ft) in height with almost the same spread. It blooms from July to September, producing fluffy and silky flower clusters that have earned it the name silk tree. They are composed of several "pompoms" made up of 5 cm (2 in) long stamens, with an intense red-pink colour at the base, lighter at the tip, clearly visible, surpassing the rudimentary corollas grouped in heads. The scent of the flowers is most noticeable up close, powdery and sweet. The flowering gives way to a fruit, a flat pod 8 to 20 cm (3 - 8 in) long, initially green then brown, containing 5 to 15 fairly large oval seeds, which germinate easily. The deciduous leaves, a fairly light green, are very large, measuring from 15 to 40 cm (5 - 15 in). They hang gracefully from the drooping branches. Each leaf is composed of large leaflets, themselves subdivided into small leaflets. These leaflets fold up in the evening and unfold in the morning. The bark of the Albizia is thin, grey-green then grey, almost smooth, with whitish lenticels. Characteristic of plants in the Fabaceae family, the roots form nodules capable of fixing atmospheric nitrogen through specific bacteria present in these organs. The taproot system of this small tree does not tolerate transplanting well. The lifespan of the Albizia is variable, in European climates it usually reaches around thirty years. 

The Albizia, with its airy and graceful silhouette, is planted as a solitary bush to provide light shade, to a terrace in particular. Despite its exotic appearance, it is a relatively easy tree to cultivate, not very demanding and fairly resistant to cold, depending on the variety. In mild climates, where winters are not too harsh, combine it with oleanders and pittosporums. The hardy Rouge de Tuiliere variety will benefit from being planted in well-drained soil, in full sun, sheltered from cold winds. Stake young plants in windy regions; strong winds can break its branches.