Don, I grow a number of trees in pots too, including 3 Mimosas and rarely cut roots, just trim back tops or cut to 6-inch level in spring. They will resprout at least one but usually 2-3 trunks and down here will reach 10 feet by end of summer. In fact I'll bet your 6 footers ae wider now! I use mine to give filtered shade to more tender plants...but I love the Mimosa for itself too. I've had one that bloomed at 18-inches and even had seedpods. This was in a 10" pot though...not recommended! My larger Mimosas are in pots about 18" across...very probably rooting into ground although I water most days in summer and weekly in winter...most all plants will put out roots from drainage hole if sitting on soii. I could use downturned saucer underneath but don't really mind if I get a couple of extra trees...just didn't want to have to dig hole to plant thus the use of pots. My pots of Mimosas are in fourth year now...and I'll start new ones if they start to decline rather than trying root-trimming. Good luck with your shrubs...I think they look like tree ferns! josh

It is the end of the year so foliage problems are probably not as important as in the spring. The discoloration is unique. Get a lot of rain or anything unusual lately? Does not look like you have done paving or anything near the tree. People in the conifer forum (including me) pay big bucks for cloned trees with unusual color in the new growth. It is an invasive mimosa but keep an eye on this one. Perhaps next year if it does the same thing you can try to root a cutting or two. There is an eye catching chololate mimosa someone propigated that is available commercially.

Silk tree always has sparse branching, so when a specimen is small it can look pretty minimal. After it develops the lack of density in each portion of the tree is compensated for by the greater overall volume. Perhaps due to the way recent springs have been I am seeing quite a bit of die-back on local silk trees. As usual this generally consists of whole secondary branches inside the outer canopy drying up, although so far this year I have seen at least one instance where a dead branch went all the way to the outside, resulting in an unpleasant gap. What you want for these is a hot sunny spot with good drainage. Like many other purple foliage variants the purple silk tree does not maintain the springtime level of pigmentation through the whole season, on every site.

"The plant police will not show up on your doorstep for propagating your own plants for personal use". My patented "Polka" Raspberry puts out patented suckers, including few neighbours' backyards. Do you think I'll get arrested? Or nursery from Poland will file complaint against me for millions of dollars? The Code is based on the ethics. If I try to sell it without permission I can get fined of course. Feel free to try to root cuttings of patented Albizia Julibrissin 'Summer Chocolate', nothing wrong with that (if it doesn't hurt your ethical rules), and it is not yet plant propagation. And by the way, try to grow from seeds... who knows you may discover new unique cultivar ;)