Albizia kalkora

The Kalkora Mimosa is a member of the Fabaceae (legume) family. It is a native of Northeastern India, portions of China, Bangladesh, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Kalkora Mimosa is limited in cultivation in the United States. There is a naturalized population in Durham, North Carolina. This deciduous tree or shrub has crowns that form shade and have white to yellowish powder-puff blooms that occur in May and June. The fruits are flattened legumes and contain 4-12 seeds.  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 tree is similar to the Silk Tree or Mimosa, but the Kalkora Mimosa is larger and has rougher bark. The leaves of the Kalkora Mimosa are coarser, have fewer pairs of branchlets, and are less appealing than the Silk Tree. The Silk Tree has an abundance of pink powder-puff flowers, while the Kalkora Mimosa blooms are less in quantity and appear initially white in color then turn yellow.  The blooms need hot and humid summers to flourish. The Silk Tree is listed as an invasive species in North Carolina due to its self-sowing and aggressive nature. There have been concerns raised about the Kalkora Mimosa due to its self-sowing of seeds. In the naturalized population of Kalkora Mimosa in Durham, North Carolina, hybrids with the Silk Tree have been found. It is important to remember that there many other natives, noninvasive trees that would make excellent alternatives.