Has anyone had any experience with this tree? I know it is a, dare I say mimosa (weed tree), but this brownish/purple one is so pretty. This foliage color is so unique in the landscape aside from some Japanese Maples and Crimson King Maple. Yea or nea on this one?
If species a pest in your area this should not be planted either, as far as is known purplish leaves only difference between it and typical plant. Purpleleaf forms of European birch Hybrid catalpa Katsura tree European beech Flowering crabapple Flowering plum Bird cherry Japanese cherry Choke cherry English oak are also in commerce.
Thank you that helps. I wasn't sure if the only difference was the color. Yes, they are quite a nuisance here. It's too, bad they are really lovely. Thanks for the other purple colored tree suggestions. I love the look of the purple leaf plumbs, but here they are so prone to getting borers and are almost always covered in scale. Hybrid catalpa? There is a purple one? I bet that is beautiful when it flowers. Those do awesome here. Thanks again.
I haven't grown it, but have seen a few around Oregon. And the ones I've seen looked healthy and nicely formed. It looks like a tree which I'd be glad to grow if we had space. I like the species for the more part.
Hello, Albizzia seems to be appreciated differently depending where you live : I've just bought an A. j. 'Summer Chocolate', and I've read on wikipedia that is is an invasive species in Japan and part of the US. Here (in France), it is a very popular garden tree, especially in the west and in the south, where the climate is milder. But where I live (USDA zone 8), there are fewer mature specimens, and they are always a wonderful sight since there aren't so many. Another very spectacular shrub/tree is Sambucus nigra 'Black Lace'. It is very uncommon here, but it's really beautiful.
I almost forgot, my first question was: On the label, it says that it can be conducted as a "clump" (in French: "cépée"). Has anyone tried to prune hard this tree, that is leaving 2-3 eyes (buds) from the roots so it can develop as a shrub (several shoots/trunks from the base) rather than as a kind of "umbrella" (Fr. "arbre sur tige"; Eng. "Stemmed tree"?...)
As can be seen in above photos, naturally low forking in full sun - getting a clear stem probably more often the issue. For patent application description: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-...1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=albizia&OS=albizia&RS=albizia
To add to Ron's list of alternatives for people living where Alibizia are considered a pest, I think there's a purple-leaf redbud that I've been admiring on a street near me. I see Cercis canadensis 'Forest Pansy' mentioned on TreeHelp.com: The new leaves are scarlet becoming maroon as they mature. The flowers are pink. This cultivar may not be as hardy as the species."
That often goes bronze in summer, as does the Albizia, so that only the new growth provides the purple effect. This change is more marked on some specimens (of 'Forest Pansy') than others, apparently due to variations in conditions.
