Albizia julibrissin 'EVI'S PRIDE' silk tree

Evi's Pride (also spelled Evey's Pride) is a purple-leaved form of silk tree which boasts with better hardiness and richer flowering as opposed to Summer Chocolate®. Its flowers are rich pink, hairy spheres with nearly white centres, 3-5 cm large and with a sweet fragrance. Fern-like, compound leaves emerge soft green with coppery tones, and turn to dark burgundy red. This colour lasts for a few weeks, then they mature to dark green, awaiting new growth that will again bring burgundy red colour. Periods of only green leaves are difficult to tell, they always depend on plan's age and growing conditions. Leaves close for the night and re-open in the morning, just like mimosa when touched. They emerge very late in spring. The tree looks very exotic and deserves an attractive location in the landscape, best accompanied by other plants of Mediterranean habit. Evi's Pride is a moderately fast growing, small to medium-sized, multi-stemmed shrub or tree with irregular, flat or umbrella-shaped, spreading crown.

It needs free-draining, warm, neutral to slightly alkaline, preferably poor or slightly fertile soil. It hates clay and heavy soil which remains wet (and cold). Unless you have good soil drainage make a raised bed. Mulching is good for winter but in the summer it prefers direct sunlight onto the area above roots so it can collect as much warmth as possible for better flowering. Still, never allow freshly transplanted specimens weed with grass for at least 3 years. Pruning is possible in early spring after all frosts. Do not cut deeper than about a third of previous year’s growth, otherwise it will not flower that season. Grow it in full sun only.

If the tree grows at its natural speed the branches will mature well and will not be damaged by frost. Its reliable hardiness is -25°C (USDA zone 6). Even if the branches are damaged by unexpectedly stronger frost it readily regenerates from healthy, even older wood.

Last update 21-02-2017; 01-10-2019