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Silk Tree Flower Wikimedia Commons
Fabaceae

Silk Tree Flower

Albizia julibrissin

Happiness and togetherness.

Family
Fabaceae
Genus
Albizia
Native to
Iran, China, Korea, Japan
Bloom season
Summer
Type
deciduous tree
Height
20-40 ft
Sunlight
full sun
Soil
well-drained, adaptable
Water
low
Hardiness
6-9
Lifespan
perennial

Did you know

  • In Chinese, the tree is called he huan, meaning 'collective happiness,' and it is planted to promote family harmony.
  • The fluffy pink flowers are made entirely of long stamens, with no visible petals.
  • The compound leaves fold up at night and during rain, a phenomenon called nyctinasty, giving the tree its Persian name 'night sleeper.'
  • The genus is named after Filippo degli Albizzi, an Italian nobleman who introduced the tree to Europe in 1745.
  • It is considered invasive in the southeastern United States, where it colonizes disturbed areas and stream banks.

Color meanings

0

happiness

1

togetherness

2

marital harmony

Uses

  • ornamental shade tree
  • traditional Chinese medicine
  • urban planting