Plant Library

Other Names:  Silktree

Description:

Attractive airy foliage emerges coppery-green and matures to deep burgundy; an open umbrella-like form make this a highly desired tree, leaves tend to close for the night; interesting and graceful pink fuzzy flowers are showy and fragrant

Ornamental Features

Summer Chocolate Mimosa features showy fragrant pink pincushion flowers along the branches in late summer. It has attractive burgundy deciduous foliage which emerges coppery-bronze in spring. The ferny bipinnately compound leaves are highly ornamental but do not develop any appreciable fall color. The fruits are showy brown pods displayed in early fall.

Landscape Attributes

Summer Chocolate Mimosa is a deciduous tree with a more or less rounded form. It lends an extremely fine and delicate texture to the landscape composition which can make it a great accent feature on this basis alone.

This tree will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Disease

Summer Chocolate Mimosa is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Shade

Planting & Growing

Summer Chocolate Mimosa will grow to be about 20 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 15 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 3 feet from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 60 years or more.

This tree should only be grown in full sunlight. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist growing conditions, but will not tolerate any standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.