Albizia julibrissin, silk tree
/By Thomas Frampton
flower, By Dan Tenaglia, Missouriplants.com
Albizia julibrissin is an ornamental native to southwestern and eastern Asia. It belongs to the Fabaceae family (legume family). The genus is named after the Italian, Filippo delgi Albizzi who brought it to Europe in mid-18th century. The silk tree was introduced to North America in 1745. The epithet gets its roots from the Persian word, gul-ebruschin, meaning floss silk in reference to the flowers.
leaf and fruit, By Roy Bergeron, Bugwood.com
Albizia julibrissin is a small deciduous tree which ranges from 16–52 feet (5–16 meters) in height (Bean et al, 1996). Its bark is greenish gray and stripes vertically as it matures. Its leaves are bipinnately compound, about 8–18 inches (20–45 cm) long, and about 5–10 inches (12–25 cm) wide. The leaflets are oblong in shape. The flowers bloom throughout the summer months and range from white at the base to pinkish. The fruit is a greenish brown legume that is anywhere from 4–8 inches (10–20 cm) (Welsh et al, 1987). These pods contain several seeds. A second variety, Albizia julibrissin var. mollis, differs in that the shoots have a dense tomentum. The cultivar ‘Summer Chocolate’ has red foliage turning dark bronze as it ages throughout the year.
Its broad crown is appreciated for providing ample shade. It is often planted in gardens and parks due to its ornamental status (Czarapata, 2005). The showy flowers attract pollinators like hummingbirds and butterflies. They have been used to repair riparian zones and are also available for purchase at many nurseries.
This small tree has a fast growth rate, the ability to thrive in full sun and hot, semi-arid climates (USDA zones 6-9) and can be quite invasive. It has been introduced from California to east Texas (Welsh et al, 1987). It is prized by people, insects and animals due to its unique foliage and summer flowers.
Bean, Ellen; McClellan, Linnea, tech. eds. 1996. Tennessee exotic plant management manual. Southeast Exotic Pest Plant Council. 10 October 2020. http://www.tneppc.org/Manual/manual.pdf
Czarapata, Elizabeth J. 2005. Invasive plants of the Upper Midwest: An illustrated guide to their identification and control. Madison, WI: The University of Wisconsin Press. p. 215
Welsh, Stanley L.; Atwood, N. Duane; Goodrich, Sherel; Higgins, Larry C., eds. 1987. A Utah flora. The Great Basin Naturalist Memoir No. 9. Provo, UT: Brigham Young University. p. 894
