I planted these about 5 or more yrs ago from seed. Gave several away to friends
and DH finally planted mine in the ground last yr. I had raised them in containers.
This pic I'm sending--- the leaves had been all green until about a month ago,
they started turning brown like the Chocolate Albizzia Wayside sells for 100.00.
I have an all green one planted about 30 feet away from this one.
Just thought this was very strange, one green tree and one turning chocolate.
Hi Patootie...how've you been?
That is a very nice looking plant! Better write notes down on this one!
rj
Hi Rj, doing just fine, how about you?
Yes I think this little tree is special too and
pretty neat that it's morphing right in front of me. lol
White Albizia and Chocolate Albizia are the same species (Paraserianthes falcataria) but are different varieties. The plain one will have light colored heartwood, the brown one will have dark heartwood.
It is one of the most invasive weeds in Hawai'i.
i want the chocolate one to be a weed in my gardens lol
do you have any seedlings of the chocolate one for trade? plmk and thxs
Did they recently change the genus name on this one? I've never seen it referred to as anything but Albizia julibrissin.
I know Albizia julibrissin as the Silk Tree or Mimosa.
I know the Chocolate Albizia to be Paraserianthes falcataria (previously Albizia falcata), although I see it has a new name of Falcataria moluccana.
Moretz, I can keep an eye out for seed for you. Uprooted seedlings don't travel well.
I think the chocolate albizia that patootie was thinking of is A. julibrissin 'Summer Chocolate' http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/56536/ I don't think the one you mention is widely available over here on the mainland, but A. julibrissin and various cultivars thereof are everywhere.
aah ..Dave, I was potting up some goodies for Carol, and each time I thought about putting bonus plants, I think..would it be invasive!? There is so much that would just take off!
Moretz, these haven't bloomed yet, I'm hoping this summer. When they do, it should make seed pods. Send me a dmail to serve as my reminder to
share sds with you.
Hi Randy, Tropical legumes that spread by seed can be very dangerous in Hawai'i.
They are not so damaging to gardens as they are easily removed, but they can and are displacing native forest.
Thanks for the Albizia explanation Ecrane! I am not familiar with that plant.
The plant that Patootie showed looks just like the "Chocolate" form of "Albizia" found in Hawai'i.
Below is White Albizia, Falcataria moluccana, syn. Albizia falcata. It is the common form of Albizia which is a serious weed in Hawai'i. The Chocolate variety is less common.
I wonder if there are any Albizia's that aren't invasive? A. julibrissin is quite a pest in the warmer areas here although it remains a very popular landscape tree in spite of that.
I love this tree. It's just barely hardy here. You know I never see stands of these trees. It's always one single, solitary tree, so they can't be much of a problem in this zone. I can see that they might be a problem in warmer zones.
Jackie
Indeed Dave, but not only that, just look at the tree ferns, and other seemingly innocuous plants, which is why I think about every little thing..well that and the lesson Mr. Robinson from Niihau & Kauai when I met him a couple of years ago in Kauai.
Thanks for that attention Randy, and everyone! Hawai'i really is a special place!
Jackie--it's hardy to zone 6a so it would be solidly hardy in your zone. Alabama considers it invasive as does Tennesee which is north of you, so I think it probably is invasive in your area. Not all invasive plants are super aggressive in a garden setting, it's what happens when seeds travel out into the wild where nobody's mowing down seedlings, etc that causes the problems.
http://www.invasive.org/species/list.cfm?id=71
http://www.invasive.org/species/list.cfm?id=72
I've never heard of this plant until you posted it!
Ecrane, I used to see it listed in seed cat's as hardy to only zone 8. I knew
that was wrong as it does grow here.
My post was intended to show what was happening to my tree
and I'm not concerned whether it's considered invasive or not. Certainly
not my reason for posting.
Regardless I am growing it anyway as I love this tree. Thanks to everyone
for the response's
Jackie
Beautiful tree. I had never heard of it before. I just got seeds for a Mimosa that blooms yellow. Already have one that blooms pink. Never heard of a chocolate one. Does it bloom, or is it just for foliage? Either way, I love it.
Albizia 'Summer Chocolate' does bloom, same pink fluffy flowers as the regular green variety.
Mekos, this tree will bloom pink. Never heard of a yellow blooming Albizia.
The Acacia's are sometimes referred to as Mimosas or Mimosa like
and their blooms are yellow. Please send a pic when your's blooms.
This is what it suppose to look like. Plant files picture.
That pic's a bit small to tell what it is, but I'd suspect it's some sort of Acacia.
Sweet acacia is a mimosa tree with yellow soft ball pods just like the pink one.
Another picture
It's in a different genus...the pink flowering mimosas are Albizia, and mekos's yellow one is an Acacia. Same common name and they are in the same family, but in a different genus.
There is also a white blooming one. I have one of those on it's way to me. It is called an EARPOD tree.
They ARE bad weeds here....and very fragile so limbs are always breaking off. A fellow I know collects the young plant foliage for his goats...says the production of milk doubles when the ewes are eating albizia...
They are butterfly magnets here, and humming birds love them. My yard is always full of butterflies and hummers. They are beautiful in bloom.
I believe the young (green) pods and leaves are over 20 percent protein. Very good for stock animals.
