About

Albizia julibrissin 'Summer Chocolate' PBR is a sizable shrub or small tree that develops a rounded canopy as it matures. Its foliage features fern-like, pinnate leaves that display shades of pinkish-bronze or deep purple, consisting of multiple leaflets. In the summer, it produces clusters of spherical flowerheads, which can be pinkish or yellow-green in color.

About the genus

Albizia includes a range of deciduous trees, shrubs, and climbing plants. They feature bipinnate foliage consisting of numerous small leaflets. The flower clusters are made up of many tiny flowers, notable for their prominent stamens.

Growing conditions

Sunlight
Full sun
Soil type
Chalk, Loam, Sand
Soil pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moisture
Well-drained
Aspect
West-facing, South-facing
Exposure
Sheltered
UK hardiness
H4

Plant details

Plant type
Shrubs, Trees
Habit
Bushy
Foliage
Deciduous
Height
4-8 metres
Spread
2.5-4 metres
Time to full height
10-20 years
Suggested uses
Coastal, Mediterranean climate plants, City and courtyard gardens, Cottage and informal garden, Gravel garden

Care notes

Cultivation
Grow in well-drained soil in full sun with shelter from cold winds. Can survive low temperatures if growth has been sufficiently ripened in summer. May suffer foliage damage and stem dieback in harsh winters in cold or northern gardens so best for southern counties or London gardens
Pruning
Pruning group 1, or pruning group 13 if wall-trained
Propagation
Propagate by semi-ripe cuttings with bottom heat in summer
Pest resistance
Generally pest-free
Disease resistance
May be susceptible to verticillium wilt and honey fungus