Albizia kalkora
Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Albizia coreana
- Albizia esquirolii
- Albizia henryi
- Albizia longepedunculata
- Mimosa kalkora
- Phonetic Spelling
- al-BIZ-ee-a Kal Kora
- Description
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The Kalkora mimosa is a member of the legume family (Fabaceae) native of Northeastern India. Kalkora Mimosa is limited in cultivation in the United States with a naturalized population in Durham, North Carolina. It can form into medium to large trees and may be found in thickets or thinly planted forests at sea level to 6500 feet.
The crown is graceful and spreading to provide shade. The plant can grow as a shrub or tree generally 8 to 25 feet tall but up to 60 feet tall in its native environment. Plant in average well-drained soiled in full sun to partial shade. If pruning is needed do so in late winter.
The white to yellowish powder-puff blooms that occur in May and June are followed by flattened legumes containing 4-12 seeds. The leaves are compound and green and fold closed in the evening until morning. The tree is similar to the silk tree or mimosa which has an abundance of pink flowers. The two trees have been noted to hybridize together. They both readily self-seed and have the potential to be invasive.
Please consider planting native trees. See suggestions to the left.
Insects, Diseases and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Albizia
- Species:
- kalkora
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- india
- Play Value:
- Attractive Flowers
- Shade
- Dimensions:
- Height: 8 ft. 0 in. - 25 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 25 ft. 0 in. - 35 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Shrub
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Spreading
- Vase
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- High
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- more than 60 feet
- NC Region:
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Legume
- Fruit Length:
- > 3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- The fruits are narrowly oblong dark brown pods that measure 3 inches to 6 inches in length and 0.6-1.4 inches wide. Each pod contains 4-12 seeds.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Head
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Dome
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- There are 2 to 7 powder-puff flower heads arranged in clusters. They appear axillary or at the terminal ends of branches. The flowers have 25-30 silk threads per head and appear white in color and then change to yellow. They measure 0.8 inches to 1 inch long. The flowers bloom in May through June after the leaves have fully emerged.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Rough
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Insignificant
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Oblong
- Obovate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- The leaves are bipinnate, yellow-green in color, and appear on long stems. Each stem is lined with pinnae which appears opposite of each other. There may be 3 to 6 pairs, and each measures 4-8 inches long. The leaflets are 7-15 pairs, appear opposite to each other, and are oblong to obovate in shape. The leaflet measures 0.5 inches to 1.5 inches long and 0.2 inches to 0.5 inches wide. The upper and undersides of the leaflets are pubescent. The leaves close in the evening and reopen at sunrise.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Gray
- Light Brown
- Bark Description:
- The bark is rough and grayish-brown.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- The branchlets are brown and are lightly covered with white hair when young.
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Landscape:
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Heat
- Humidity
- Problems:
- Messy
- Weedy
