Silk tree - Albizia julibrissin - €18 per plant 

The silk tree is a welcome edition to the ecological garden as it is both highly ornamental and multi functional.  It produces beautiful pink rose blooms which remain for much of the summer and are then replaced by striking seed pods that hang on the tree for much of the winter.  It is easily grown in well-drained but moist soils in the full sun to light shade, although the best flowering result occurs in full sun.  The silk tree is a nitrogen fixer and tolerates a high pH, saline soils, high winds and drought. It is  quite tolerant of being transplanted and pruned and can be trained to climb.  A perfect choice for a woodland garden on a sunny edge, or a courtyard garden. To order this plant please contact us [email protected].  

Context

  • native region: W. Asia and E. Asia - Iran to China.
  • native habitat: Open sunny ravines, forests and by rivers sometimes at quite high altitudes (2000m)
  • family: Fabaceae or Leguminosae

Predators

  • Generally trouble free

Needs, tolerances 

  • Light: Full sun 
  • soil pH:  acid-neutral -basic alkaline and can grow in very alkaline and saline soils.
  • USDA Hardiness Zone: 6 - 9
  • Prefers well drained but moisture retentive soil
  • It cannot grow in the shade


Known hazards 

  • No known hazards

Overview


  • 3 yr old 1 - 1.5 m tall  bare root sapling 
  • Deciduous Tree growing to 12m  by 10m at a fast rate
  • It is in flower in July - August, and the seeds ripen from Sept to November.
  •  The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs).
  • It can fix nitrogen
  • Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil.
  • Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in saline soils.
  • It cannot grow in the shade.
  • It can tolerate strong winds
  • It cannot tolerate extreme maritime exposure
  • It can tolerate drought

Characteristics

  • form: Deciduous Tree   
  • layer : Woodland garden Canopy 
  • habit: broad-crowned sometimes bushy, medium-sized
  • height x width (m): 12 x 10



Products

  • Bipinnate compound dark green leaves with a fern like appearance
  • Fluffy rose-pink flowerheads cover the tree with a long summer bloom. They are fragrant and highly attractive to bees
  • Flat bean-like seed pods  which remain in situ during the winter
  • Can fix nitrogen
  • A wide range of medicinal benefits have been recorded with the flowers and bark of this tree

Functions, behaviours

  • Plants are quite tolerant of pruning and can be fan-trained for growing on a wall
  • Sends up suckers
  • Quite tolerant of being transplanted
  • Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus.
  • Trees prefer a more continental climate than in Britain
If you would like this plant please send an email to [email protected] with your order. 
Balkan Ecology Project