Graceful albition looks spectacular in every corner of the garden. Young seedlings are often linked with other flowering crops, and under the spreading crown of an adult tree you can easily hide a gazebo, garden swings or a table for family tea drinking. Openwork foliage and fragrant airy inflorescences create a very gentle and homely atmosphere. Grow a plant on your site or even in indoor conditions is very simple. Let us examine the details of this process and the preferences of a tropical guest.
How it looks and where it grows wild
In everyday life, albition is often called a “sleeping beauty,” “silk tree,” “Crimean mimosa,” or “Lenkoran acacia.” Scientists attribute culture to the family of legumes and note the deceptiveness of the areola around the tree of tenderness and lightness. 
In fact, with age, its powerful trunk grows to a height of 12 meters, and in girth it can reach 3 meters. Planted along the avenue of young seedlings already at the age of five converge into a light green dome of foliage.
Did you know? Silk acacia was named after the Italian botanist Filippo Albizia, who in 1740 brought a sprout of an unknown plant to Europe from Constantinople in 1740, which attracted the eye with thick fragrant buds and decorative foliage.
This deciduous variety of acacia is significantly different from its counterparts. It is characterized by a raznaya, resembling an umbrella, a crown, which in the volume reaches 7 meters, bright juicy leaves of a pinnate form and unusual flowers. 
The root system of the plant is very powerful, but it develops superficially. Therefore, the tree carries severe frosts. If you do not prepare it for the winter, it may die.
Regardless of the shape that you prefer for further cultivation, the plant has a straight-growing trunk with smooth grayish bark and thick shortish branches.
Each leaf plate of albition reaches a length of up to 20 cm and consists of 15-30 pairs of small, strongly dissected leaves. At night, they fold and wilt, and in the morning they open up again cheerfully. In addition, they appear on the branches much later, compared with other inhabitants of the garden. 
Fluffy paniculate inflorescences of pink and white-cream color appear in the May period, and depending on the climatic conditions, they can flaunt on a dense crown until September. Their peculiarity is a strong fragrant aroma and elongated purple stamens that extend beyond the five-petalled corolla.
Important! Albizia can easily overwinter at 15-degree frosts, but when the thermometer drops to -18 ° C, young shoots suffer and skeletal branches are damaged. If on the street a stable 20-degree frost stays on for a week, the tree will die.
After the Lenkoran acacia has faded, long pods appear in place of the thyroid inflorescences. In each of them there are 9-10 large legume grains.
Culture can be propagated by seed or vegetative methods. But more often gardeners prefer to root root shoots, which appear in large quantities in the autumn.
The legume family has more than 20 thousand species, including peanuts, caragana, alfalfa, beans, clover, vetch, wisteria, lupine.
Wild specimens of albition today can be found in the tropical zones of Africa, Madagascar, India, Australia, and Mexico. Moreover, they are found both in desert and wet areas. But, despite this wide range of distribution, botanists unanimously agreed on the opinion that warm Azerbaijan is the homeland of the plant.
Care and conditions for growing in the house
Albizia room, as well as garden, completely unpretentious. She feels comfortable in any conditions, so long as it is warm and there is no lime in the soil. Consider all the details of care in detail.
Did you know? Albizia lives about a century. At the same time, it develops very quickly, but by the age of 30 the bark cracks on the tree, numerous hollows appear on the trunk and the crown significantly thins.
Lighting
For a thermophilic tropical guest the sun is a vital factor. Without its rays, the plant will not be able to fully develop. Therefore, it is worthwhile for him to find an appropriate well-lit cozy zone.
In this case, direct ultraviolet light should fall on the culture only for some time. For street young trees, an area with diffused light is ideal, and for indoor specimens a slightly covered south window. In winter, the plant requires additional lighting with fluorescent lights. 
Temperature
Although the albition is a zealous fan of the sun and heat, but the long heat is contraindicated for it. Comfortable development it provided at a temperature + 20 ... +25 ° С. In summer, potted plants are desirable to make on the street. On hot days it is better to place them under the crowns of razlohy tall trees. And if there is no such possibility, the south-east or south-west balcony will be suitable as an alternative.
Important! If you are prone to allergies to pollen, then do not rush to acquire a silk tree. After all, it is possible that your list of allergens will expand by another item.
At room mulberry trees, like garden, with the advent of winter comes a period of rest. Therefore, at this time it is important for them to ensure proper thermal conditions. Experienced flower growers are advised to put a container with a flower in a cool room where the temperature varies between + 5 ... +10 ° C. This may be an unheated loggia, a veranda or a summer kitchen. Do not worry if during wintering the plant for some time will be at zero temperature. Such a drop will not affect its development.
Watering and humidity
During the period of intensive development, Lankaran acacia requires abundant soil moistening, but with the onset of cold weather, these procedures are minimized. In the summer, it is important to monitor the condition of the upper layer of the earth around the plant and to prevent it from drying out. And in the winter, at least once a week, pour a small amount of settled warm water under the roots. 
Despite the tenderness of inflorescences and juiciness of the leaves, the plant does not require additional spraying of the crown. Being content with moisture from irrigation, it fully develops. Therefore, the level of humidity in the room is completely irrelevant.
Did you know? The word "acacia" is derived from the Greek "Akaki", which translated means the ancient prickly tree of Dioscorida and Theophrastus.
Top dressing
Even beginners know that if you do not feed the culture with essential trace elements and nutrients, it will very soon lose its decorative effect and slow down its development. To prevent this from happening with silk acacia, from spring until autumn itself, it should be fertilized after 2-3 weeks.
For this, experts advise the use of complex minerals intended for decorative foliage.
It is recommended to begin feeding from the second year after the rooting of the seedling. In winter, these procedures are not necessary.
When and how to bloom
A variety of forms of inflorescences, their colors and arrangement of foliage, divided the albition into several species.
This is about:
- a silk (Lankaran, or Iranian) variety (Albizia julibrissin), which is characterized by fern leaf-like plates consisting of asymmetrical crescent-shaped slices, and thick capitate or spike-shaped floral tassels, in which are almost invisible corollas and many long stamens;
- Buchkotsvetkovoy (Albizia lophantha), a feature of which are considered to be yellow cylindrical flower ears, the length of which often reaches 5 cm.
Did you know? Since ancient times, any kind of acacia was considered a symbol of stability and renewal. This is evidenced by the mention of the plant in documents found by historians. And on ancient Egyptian artifacts, archaeologists still find images of sarcophagi with acacia sprouts growing from them. These pictures eloquently show that life comes only after death.
Both types of silk wood differ in long flowering. In the first variant, this period begins in the last decade of May and, under favorable climatic conditions, may last until October. In the warm autumn season in the Crimea, there were cases when the tree delighted passers-by with fragrant flowers until the frost itself. The second variety is distinguished by an earlier blooming of buds. In this phase, the plant enters from March to June.
Silk and puchtsvetnoy acacia very fragrant and honey flowers. Moreover, the pleasant smell with pronounced notes of raspberry and violets persists throughout the entire flowering period. 
Features of winter care
We have already partially mentioned the weakness of the plant and its sensitivity to low temperatures. But due to the fact that gardeners on the forums often touch upon the topic of ensuring competent wintering, we will carefully examine all the details.
Did you know? Many religious scholars tend to think that the wreath of Jesus Christ was woven from the branches of acacia.
If we are talking about young saplings of the street action, then for a safe wintering they will need a thick humus layer of mulch in the forest hole and a cloth or cardboard shelter of the branches. Some gardeners practice wrapping acacia crown in foam rubber, plastic wrap, lapnik or peat. Mature trees can safely tolerate 16 degrees of frost. That is why in regions with severe winters, the plant is mainly cultivated in indoor conditions.
A potted silk bush after a seasonal stay in the garden should definitely be put in a cool place for the winter. For these purposes, the cellar does not fit at all, since the culture lacks light there. It is important that it is kept at a temperature of + 12 ° C. 
This is the optimal mark of the thermometer, which will allow the plant to comfortably winter. Do not be alarmed if in November the tree exposes its branches. This means that he began a period of peace. It is better not to disturb such an instance without the need, but it is also impossible to completely forget about it. Occasionally it needs to be watered to support the viability of the roots.
Did you know? Botanists insist that the Australian varieties of acacia are able to prevent the development of cancer diseases.
Transplant: soil and pot
Given the intense pace of cultural development, get ready for annual transplanting young plants. With age, this need will arise every 2-3 years. In this case, you need to focus on the state of the flower.
Experts believe that the best period for the realization of this undertaking is spring, when a tree moves away from hibernation. First of all, stock up on the appropriate landing capacity. Ideally, it should be 3-4 centimeters greater than the previous diameter, be deep and clay. This material contributes to the aeration of the roots, which undoubtedly affects the development of the flower.
If used pots are used, first of all be sure to wash them and disinfect with a concentrated solution of potassium permanganate.
Then prepare the soil mixture from equal portions of sod and hardwood land, top peat and river sand. At the bottom of the vessel, be sure to pour clay or other drainage material.
When everything is ready, simply transfer the earthen clod with the plant to a new container, level it and fill the appeared space with a fresh substrate. Do not forget to moisturize and tamp it, otherwise the procedure is fraught with drying of the root system of the plant.
Important! The slightest deviations from the recommended temperature conditions, lighting, fertilizing and irrigation regimes are fraught with the development of fungal spores and pathogens in the pot. If you continue in the same spirit - the acacia will die.
Difficulties in growing
Often, in reviews about room albition, florist beginners complain about the capriciousness of the flower, they say, I do everything as the book says, and the plant develops poorly, loses the pomp of the crown and the colors of the foliage. After analyzing the problems faced by the fans of the Crimean mimosa, we identified the most common of them and found out from specialists the reasons for this cultural behavior. 
Perhaps in this list you will see your green ward:
- Unopened buds are prematurely showered from the tree. This is a clear sign of a lack of moisture. Review the irrigation regime and never allow the potted land to dry completely. Repeat moisturizing is the time when the top layer is dry. Remember that acacia has surface roots.
- Foliage becomes pale, loses its vitality and eventually fades completely. This turn of events usually occurs when the rules for watering a flower and picking a planting substrate have been violated. If you do not overfill the albition and do not overdry it, perhaps the reason lies in the hard ground. In this case, you will need to transplant the flower into a fresh and light soil mixture.
- The leaf plates are kept on the cuttings, but they have completely lost their brightness, have become pale and completely unattractive. This happens when the pot is in the shade or partial shade. Due to the lack of light, his photosynthesis processes are disturbed, with the result that you get a lifeless crown. Please note that in the acacia silk castings are whitish on the inside. The mimosa can be saved in the only way - by moving the pot to a well-clarified area, where there is a lot of ambient light.
- The leaves on the tips turn brown and dry. This is the classic problem of dry flats. It can occur only with insufficient watering and too low levels of humidity.
- Foliage is covered with dark, atypical for the variety, specks. This is clear evidence of violations of the temperature regime or the result of the influence of drafts. Acacia does not like sudden changes in temperature, cold and winds. Do not forget that this is a native of the warm tropics and try to provide it with all the necessary conditions in the conditions of an apartment.
Important! Overdried indoor air is a favorable environment for the development of spider mites and other sucking parasites. You can get rid of them with the help of any insecticide: "Aktara", "Bi-58 New", "Aktellik".
Breeding methods
A new seedling of the potted specimen can be grown from the seeds or obtained by rooting cuttings. Consider the nuances of these popular methods of reproduction of Lenkoran acacia.
Seeds
If you prefer this method and have prepared seed in time, before planting complex preparatory work. 
First of all, prepare the necessary tanks and peat-sand substrate. All vessels and inventory should be thoroughly disinfected with potassium permanganate solution, and the earth should be warmed up a little. Pip the seeds for 2-3 days with warm water so that they swell. Then treat them with any growth stimulant ("Kornevin", "Emistim", "Ecosil").
After the done manipulations, you can begin landing. It is carried out very simply: the beans need to stick into the wet soil mixture, cover the container with polyethylene and send in a warm place to germinate. Be prepared to periodically moisten the substrate for several months.
Did you know? In warm countries, it is customary to plant the albition along roads, because the culture is not at all afraid of burning, soot, and car exhaust.
Some growers do not recognize the above-mentioned method of growing albition from seeds at home. They prefer a more modern technology involving the use of peat tablets. In this case, the material is immersed in a small container, macerated to full swelling and slightly deepen the grains in it.
Cuttings
This method differs from the previous one in the greater survival rate of plants, as well as in the growth rate, but loses in terms of resistance to adverse conditions, pests and diseases.
Experts advise stocking cuttings in the first half of June. To do this, cut about 10-15 centimeters of the apical part of the lignified sprout. Best to choose side shoots of the current year.
The prepared material under a slope deepen in wet agroperlite or peat-sand mixture. After that, the container is placed in a cool room, where the temperature does not exceed 16 ° C. Similarly to the previous method, the substrate should always be wet, but do not overfill it, because otherwise the planting material will hit the mold and fungi, which will reduce the chances of rooting. When powerful roots are formed on the cuttings, the plant can be transplanted together with a lump of soil into a permanent pot.
That's all the secrets of caring for a completely picky Lenkoran acacia. It will not take you too much time, but wherever she grows, she will be happy for a long time with pleasant fragrant flowers. They will become a worthy decoration of both the garden and the living space.
