Albizia julibrissin Shidare

Albizia julibrissin 'Shidare' is a rare silk tree variety that charms with its weeping habit. It is a small deciduous tree, with delicate, light and finely cut foliage resembling that of mimosa, but gracefully cascading. This cultivar offers a lovely late summer flowering with pink stamens that is highly appreciated. It is suitable for small gardens, as well as container cultivation, allowing it to be protected during harsh winters in very cold regions. The silk tree enjoys sunlight and well-drained, even dry soils in summer, and it also thrives in poor soils.

Albizia julibrissin is a small deciduous tree belonging to the Fabaceae family, native from Iran to eastern China. The 'Shidare' variety stands out for its weeping habit and small size. Under favourable conditions, it can reach 3.5 m (11.5 ft) in height and 2.5 m (8.2 ft) in width within 12 years, although its growth is relatively slow. It usually blooms in August, sometimes as early as July in mild climates, with plume-like and silky inflorescences that earned it the name 'silk tree'. These inflorescences consist of long, prominent pink stamens that surpass the grouped rudimentary corollas in capitula. The powdery and sweet fragrance of the flowers is most noticeable up close. The flowering gives way to a fruit in the form of a flat pod measuring 8 cm to 20 cm (3.1 in to 7.9 in) in length, initially green and then turning brown, containing 5 to 15 fairly large oval seeds, which germinate easily. The deciduous leaves are light green and very large, measuring from 15 cm to 40 cm (5.9 in to 15.7 in) in length, hanging beautifully in cascades from the trailing branches. They are divided into large leaflets, which are further subdivided into smaller leaflets. The bark is thin, initially grey-green and then grey, almost smooth, with whitish lenticels. Finally, as is 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 albizia varies, but under our climates, it usually reaches around thirty years.

Albizia julibrissin 'Shidare', with its majestic and airy silhouette, works naturally when planted as a standalone, providing light shade to a terrace, for example. Its flowering accentuates its exotic nature. Care must be taken to ensure its hardiness by planting it in well-drained soil, in a sunny location, and protected from prevailing winds and cold drafts. The compact size and weeping habit of this variety make it particularly well-suited for balcony or terrace cultivation in pots or containers.