Why you’ll love it:
Albizia julibrissin ‘Shidare’, the exceptional weeping silk tree.
- A slender weeping tree, perfect for small spaces, with scented candy floss-like pink flowers.
- Feather-like, pinnate foliage folds up each evening, creating a soft, tactile canopy.
- Straightforward to cultivate in sunny, well-drained spots, proving surprisingly hardy across most UK gardens.
Albizia julibrissin ‘Shidare’ In Your Garden
A waterfall of lush, fern-like foliage brings tropical drama to compact spaces. Its down-swept branches form an elegant, cascading umbrella canopy adorned with fluffy pink powder-puff blooms in midsummer. This weeping beauty looks exotic, yet offers compact elegance and a graceful texture all season long.
Albizia julibrissin ‘Shidare’ is hardy in all UK gardens, provided it is sheltered from harsh, cold wind. Growing steadily to around four metres over two decades, its narrow footprint makes it ideal for tight spaces. It makes a striking accent specimen for sunny courtyard heat traps, gravel beds, or pots on contemporary patios.
The delicate, bipinnate leaves close quietly at nightfall, earning it the traditional Japanese name ‘The Sleeping Tree’. Although late into leaf, its dense, luxurious foliage more than makes up for its slow start, resembling many tropical species. Its slender, sentinel-like habit casts little shade, allowing lower-growing species to be planted around it.
Did you know?
The species name julibrissin derives from the Persian word gul-i surkh, which translates charmingly to ‘rose-coloured flower’. Introduced to European botanical collections during the eighteenth century, this rare ‘Shidare’ cultivar was selected in Japan for its pendulous form. The foliage exhibits nyctinasty, closing at night to conserve heat and moisture.
Growing Tips for Your Weeping Silk Tree, Albizia julibrissin ‘Shidare’
- Soil and Sun: full sun in any well-drained soil. Prefers a warm, sheltered spot to maximise growth and flowering.
- Planting: at any time of year. Never plant a dry plant! Plunge the pot or stand in water for 10 minutes to drench the root ball before planting. Do not add soil improvers.
- Watering: easy; drought-tolerant once established. Water regularly in its first summer while rooting out.
- Height and spread: after 10-20 years: 4m x 2.5m
Selected for its distinct pendulous habit, this weeping silk tree offers architectural presence for contemporary landscapes. It handles summer heat and poor soils with remarkable ease, transforming sheltered corners into tropical sanctuaries. Secure your Albizia today to frame your patio or garden path with enduring, weeping silky elegance.
