tree ID help

I saw this growing in a large pot at Wichford pottery in Warwickshire and it was a gorgeous sort of fluffy tree, a bit skinny and a lovely open habit with these unusual silver grey leaves, but I have absolutely no idea what it is and would love to have one in my garden, any help with ID would be really great! Thank you

(also sorry about poor pic quality, rubbish iphone!)

 

Could it be an Acacia baileyana, perhaps 'purpurea'?

 

I go along with Victoria

 

I'd agree with Victoria too; Acacia 'purpurea', grew one from seed once, lovely plant

 

I have a handful of seeds, Michael, but have hesitated to attempt them as the thought of growing a tree from seed is quite off-putting to me. Also have some Sesbania tree seeds I have never attempted ... beautiful tree that is! Same story with the Flamboyant seeds I was given last year from Cuba!

 

I grew a few of your Sesabania seed, (which you sent me a few years ago Victoria), late last summer.
I've got some plants overwintering which I'm hoping will be quite good this summer.

 

Hi Victoria, I love growing trees & shrubs from seed, it can present a challenge at times, but some really are quite easy, I remember the Acacias germinating quite freely after soaking and chipping the seed and they grew quite quickly too.

If you don't mind waiting a few years for them to get to a reasonable size it also presents the opportunity to save quite a few pounds compared to buying the actual plant, especially if its a rare variety of tree

 

Looking forward to seeing how they progress Pete.

I'm an impatient woman Michael (and I'm advancing in years ) ... and such are cheap here to buy. I like 'instant' garden ...

 

I understand your reasoning Victoria.
But does an "instant" garden ever really become your "own" garden?

You just have to have a few plants that you have nurtured from seed to make it really "yours"

 

Thank you, that's brilliant!

I also guess from the other comments that they're not too difficult to grow? I kinda like the idea of growing a tree from seed, sounds like a challenge for this year to get one going!

 

Yes, Pete, I have discovered that ten years later it does ... but will I have yet another ten years now ...

day dreamer ... pleased we identified your tree. If you can't find one or seeds, PM me and I'll send you some.

 

Nick Macer at Pan Global Plants usually has them for sale.

http://www.panglobalplants.com/plants-for-sale/?show=Acacia+baileyana+'Purpurea'&picture=shrubs1781

 

Meant to put this pic up earlier but had to go out for a luncheon. These are the ones near me where I got the seeds from ...

 

They probably won't survive if the temperature drops below -7c for any length of time.
I had an 8 footer in a pot last winter but died after three successive nights of -7/8c.
I'm wondering if it is overwintered inside.

 

Thats a lovely pic Victoria, I love the sort of purple haze around them, would be fab to be able to grow several like that in one place

I was also wondering about the overwintering as well, I was thinking perhaps wrapping it in fleece somehow? but I guess if I grow from seed I'll have a few years to worry about where to put it overwinter as it'll easily fit inside the house to start!