Anyone grow this yet? Chocolate Mimosa

Well, I found my Forest Farm book. No good. They have so many unusual things I thought I would try, even though it was a long shot. They don't have either of the Albizias or the Lager. 'White Chocolate'. I'm going to my local nursery here today (Heaven's to Mergatroid, I'm out of snail bait!) so I will check and see what they have.

Mike, I agree with you that there's no guarantee that the A. 'Summer Chocolate' will grow true from seed. The high price makes me wonder if they aren't "scalping" gardners for the period of time between when we have heard of the plant and when it becomes available. Naughty!

And Marc, you sure have opened a can of worms! LOL But now we are all helping each other find it all over the USA, so hopefully one of us will do it!

I found this on the J.C. Raulston Arboretum site:

Arborvillage Farm Nursery, 15604 County Road "CC", PO Box 227, Holt, M) 64048 (816-264-3911). Unquestionably the finest array of uncommon woody plant cultivars of any woody plant nursery in the U.S. - astonishing listing and very, very dangerous to the pocketbook for arborealophiles.

Is there anyone in MO following along with us that check them out and see if they have the plants?

K

The ArborVillage catalog is now online. I checked the catalog and they do not list any Albizia for sale.

It is very possible that this plant is not yet for sale in the USA. Many Arboretums and Botanical Gardens receive plants far in advance of when the plants become available for sale to the general public. I think that is the case for this plant.

I did find a listing, after using www.google.com, from "Wayside Garden Center" for a plant in a 5 gallon pot for $119.95, however, this plant is not listed in the online Wayside catalog.

I also found comments from people saying that they know of wholesale nurseries that have this plant, but that they know of no retail outlets that are carrying this plant yet.

I'm guessing that the plant hasn't been released to the public yet, but the info has been released to help create a demand for the plant.

Good luck with your search. I sure wish I could grow the plant here in zone 4! It sure looks like a beauty.
Mike

I found a source online selling these in 2 gallon pots for $99. Not sure what the shipping would be. I know I will regret this. lol How many people would be interested in a mini co-op if I can talk them down and can figure out if the shipping would be a nightmare? Figure getting them for no less than 80 - 90 bucks when you give your answer and please be sure of your purchase intention when you answer.

Thanks

I might would need to make for sure the cost first - but run this by Dave first there have been a few issues in other coops.

Wholesale nurseries, huh? I'll check the wholesalers in my area. Seems to me I saw Lager. 'White Chocolate' on an availability once......I'll let you know what I find. $99+.....DH would kill me!

AHA! I found it! Albizia 'Summer Chocolate' is a Hines Horticulture patented plant! They are located in Southern CA (San Gabriel, I think). This is good news for us westerners.....any retail nursery who buys Hines plants can get if for us (as long as Hines has it available for sale). We just need to ask our retailer to special-order it for us.

http://www.hineshorticulture.com/Gardener/Gardener.htm

By the way, Monrovia shows Lager. 'White Chocolate' on their wholesaler catalog.....same thing.....ask the retailer to order it for us.

K

I wish they had more then one place out here - way to far to go get it.... ahhh... I still have not found my grail

Well folks, my local nursery has the Albizia 'Summer Chocolate'......5 fifteen gallon trees. When DH gets the dog yard finished I just may place one out there.....wouldn't it be the perfect shade for my greenhouse? I was running around getting stuff and didn't have a chance to go out to the tree area and look, but I will go back and check them out. The owner sure was surprised when I asked for them by name.....they just came in! Like I said, if your retailer orders from Hines, you too can have one!

K

Thanks! No to find a dealer .. I know there are ones here in TX just got find the best one to drive to... THanks - now we can get one ...

So.....Marc.....when my son moves back to Redmond, should I put a tree in his moving van so you can hijack him?
LOL

K :~D

Well of course you should!!! LOL

I'll tell him to watch out for banditos!

That would be best...... LOL
I'll be the one in the red bandana

Ok....give the tree to the bandito with the red bandana.....LOL!

YeeHA! :-)

I checked with Navlet's. They do have them now. They don't mail so you would have to have someone go buy one for you and send it to you.

To cool .. I hear Road Trip.. ummmm now what to do with my two year old when I am off getting a tree...

Put the 2-year-old in the red wagon with the tree.

lol - The problem would be there would not be a tree left if I had it in the back with him! He loves to tear things apart - I gie him plants for my compost pile and he tears them for me...

...show him the weeds!!!

LOL - I wish I could get him to work that way...

Grrrrrrr, Texas is too far to drive for a tree no matter how much I want one and the nurseries around here look at me with a blank look when I ask for a chocolate Mimosa. Someone send me a cutting or two PLLLLLLLLLLLLLLEASE?!? I promise I wont kill it. lol

Good luck with your trees - I guess I am going to have to try the mail order route and I hate to do that with such a pricey tree.

They "grow like a weed", at least the regular ones do, so when Forest Farm gets them they will be reasonable.

RedOak have you found the chocolate mimosa yet? I just saw 3 this morning in Arlington at Green's produce they are on Arkansas just down from Redenta's. They were in great shape I think they were 1 gal for $69....about 4 ft tall....I just feel in love with it but my house is for sale and I hate to spend that much on a tree when who knows what is happening with me.

Not yet - heading over there right now! Lets see an hour away.... running right now

Okay you must save me some seed. If I knew they would grown in a container I would go get one too....they are beuatiful!

Did you get it?

I dropped by Chocolate Flower Farms this past weekend and it was lovely. We live quite close by and in fact had looked at the house that CFF is housed in when we were looking to purchase. I had a nice chat with the owner and she is quite wonderful. She has only been in the place for 2 months and has done amazing things. She and her husband are obviously very hard working people with a lot of talent and good taste.

She is in the process of starting a lot of plants so will have a much larger selection next spring/summer. I will say that the stuff she has is gorgeous. It's the nicest of anything I've ever seen anywhere. I bought 5 plants to start a chocolate garden and know I'll be adding.

It's worth a drive over if you live in the PNW. Of course, I am biased, but I think Langley is a very fun town. There are other great nurseries to visit here too. Cultus Bay Nursery is wonderful and is also housed at someone's home. Clinton Nursery is okay but is convenient as it's right there when you get off the ferry. Bayview Farm and Gardens is lovely. Then there's Sally's up in Coupeville. There are a few in Oak Harbor that I've never been to. And then the wonderful Christianson's in Mt Vernon is not to be missed.

I have one now - thanks to Cindy. I would love to have a whole chocolate garden.... but where to put another garden!

How much? What sized pot? How tall? Does the nursery do mail order?

Albertsons in Arlington! (unless food stores do mail order ummmm I dont think so) Not large - about then again it only came to around 70 once I got it all said and done. I thought it would be darker, still very sharp.

OK! We all start chasing down all the grocery stores in town with a plant area! Thanks for the lead!

K

I am glad to see you got your tree. Now you will have to keep us posted on how it is doing. I have decided to get one next year....did you get it at Green's? They had 3 when I was there...

I am beginning to dislike TX! You have this at your blasted grocery stores?!?

I cannot find them in our most exlusive nurseries. I gotta go kick something. Enjoy your trees ;-)

You know what they say "Everything is Bigger (ie Better!!! LOL ) and better in Texas!"

slgrowers- LOL!!
Beats all I have ever seen that some folks can find the "Holy Grail" of plants at the darned grocery store down the street!

slgrowers,
Thanks for the laugh. I laughed out loud after I read your post. You are just too funny. (I understand the frustration completely).

Hopefully, you didn't hurt your foot after you kicked whatever you kicked! Are you feeling better now? Well, probably not, unless a chocolate mimosa fell out of whatever you kicked! If a chocolate mimosa did fall out of the item you kicked, please kick it again and I'll send you my address. (:o)
Thanks,
Mike

ROFLMBBO!!

Mike - trust me, if that would happen I would be kickin like mad. lol I still cant get over the fact that they can buy this in a grocery store. grrrrr. I actually love TX but now I am getting a bit jealous.

hmmm, perhaps someone will trade me for some good ol Mississippi Kudzu? It is very difficult to grow but I promise I will send detailed growing instructions that might help you grow this very rare plant. lol - any takers??

You know there was a post in the Plant trading forum asking for Kudzu - she was way up North somewhere and reaely wanted some!

It is more or less a fairly well behaved perrenial in very cold climates, as it dies back in Winter.....it does make great jelly! :-)

Marc