Albizia julibrissin
| Albizia julibrissin | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Subfamily: | Caesalpinioideae |
| Clade: | Mimosoid clade |
| Genus: | Albizia |
| Species: | A. julibrissin
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| Binomial name | |
| Albizia julibrissin | |
| Synonyms | |
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Many, seetext | |
Albizia julibrissin,thePersian silk tree,pink silk tree,ormimosa tree,is aspeciesof tree in theFabaceaefamily, native tosouthwesternandeasternAsia.[1]
Taxonomy
[edit]It was introduced to Europe in the mid-18th century by Italian nobleman Filippo degliAlbizzi,and the name of its entire genusAlbizziais given after him.[2]Thespecific epithetjulibrissinis a corruption of thePersianwordgul-i abrisham(گل ابریشم), which means "silk flower"(fromgulگل"flower" +abrishamابریشم"silk").[2][additional citation(s) needed]
Albizia julibrissinwas described by Antonio Durazzini.[who?]John Gilbert Bakerused the same scientific name to refer toAlbizia kalkorawritten byDavid Prain,theMimosa kalkoraofWilliam Roxburgh.[clarification needed][citation needed]
Names
[edit]Albizia julibrissinis known by a wide variety of common names, such asPersian silk treeandpink siris.It is also calledLankaranacaciaorbastard tamarind,though it is not too closely related to either genus. The species is calledChinese silk tree,silk treeormimosain the United States, which is misleading—the former can refer to any species ofAlbiziawhich is most common in any one locale; and, although once included inMimosa,neither is it very close to theMimoseae.To add to the confusion, several species ofAcacia,notablyAcacia baileyanaandAcacia dealbata,are also known as "mimosa" (especially infloristry), and manyFabaceaetrees with highly divided leaves are called thus inhorticulture.
Its leaves slowly close during the night and during periods of rain, the leaflets bowing downward; thus its modern Persian nameshabkhosb(شبخسب) means "night sleeper". This tendency also explains the Chinese common namehehuan,which means "shut happy" and symbolizes a happy couple in bed.[3]In Japan its common names arenemunoki,nemurinokiandnenenokiwhich all mean "sleeping tree".Nemu treeis a partial translation ofnemunoki.
Description
[edit]
Albizia julibrissinis a smalldeciduoustree with a broad crown of level or arching branches, growing to 5–16 m (16–52 ft) tall.[3]Itsbarkis dark greenish grey, becoming vertically striped with age. Itsleavesare large andfrond-like: They arebipinnate,divided into 6–12 pairs of pinnae, each with 20–30 pairs of leaflets. Individual leaflets are oblong, 1–1.5 cm (0.4–0.6 in) long and 2–4 cm (0.8–1.6 in) broad. The true leaves are 20–45 cm (8–18 in) long and 12–25 cm (5–10 in) broad.
Theflowersbloom throughout the summer in denseinflorescences,which resemble starbursts of pink silky threads. The true flowers have smallcalyxandcorolla(except the central ones), with a tight cluster of prominentstamens,2–3 cm long and white or pink with a white base. They have been observed to attractbees,butterfliesandhummingbirds.[2]Itsfruitis a flat brownpod10–20 cm (4–8 in) long and 2–2.5 cm (0.8–1.0 in) broad, containing severalseedsinside.
There are twovarieties:
- Albizia julibrissinvar.julibrissin– the typical variety, described above
- Albizia julibrissinvar.mollis– differs in the shoots being densely hairy
Habitat, cultivation and uses
[edit]Original habitats of the tree include regions fromIran(Persia) and theRepublic of AzerbaijantoChinaandKorea.[4]
A. julibrissinis widely planted as anornamental plantin parks and gardens, grown for its fine leaf texture, flowers and attractive horizontal canopy. Other positive attributes are a fast growth rate, low water requirements and the ability to thrive planted in full sun in hot summer climates.[5]It is frequently planted in semi-arid areas like California'sCentral Valley,centralTexasandOklahoma.Although capable of surviving drought, growth will be stunted and the tree tends to look sickly. As such it should be given infrequent, deep waterings during the summer, which will benefit growth and flowering.[5]
The broad crown of a mature tree makes it useful for providing dappled shade. The flower colour varies from white inA. julibrissinf.alba,to rich red-tipped flowers. Variants with cream or pale yellow flowers are also reported. Other cultivars are becoming available: 'Summer Chocolate' has red foliage ageing to dark bronze, with pale pink flowers; 'Ishii Weeping' (or 'Pendula') has a drooping growth habit.
A. julibrissinf.rosea
[edit]There is also aform,A. julibrissinf.rosea(pink silk tree) which has, in the past, been classed either as a variety or as acultivar.This is a smaller tree, only growing to 5–7 metres (16–23 ft) tall, with the flowers always pink. Native to the northeast of the species' range in Korea and Northern China, it is more cold-tolerant than the typical form, surviving temperatures down to at least −25 °C (−13 °F). The selectedcultivarA. julibrissin'Ernest Wilson' (also known as 'E.H.Wilson' or 'Rosea') is a cold-tolerant tree with deep pink flower colour. In Japan,A. julibrissinf.roseais often used for non-traditionalbonsai.The namenemunoki*(ねむの mộc,Kanji:Hợp 歓 mộc) and its variants is akigorepresenting the summer inhaiku,especially a sleepy summer evening.[6]
A. julibrissinf.roseahas gained theRoyal Horticultural Society'sAward of Garden Merit;[7]likewise the cultivar 'Summer Chocolate'.[8]
Other uses
[edit]Silk tree wood may be used to make furniture.[9]It is also reportedly psychoactive as well, with the flowers being used to make teas. In Chinese medicine it is considered an antidepressant.[10]
Invasive species
[edit]
In the wild, the tree tends to grow in dry plains, sandy valleys, and uplands. It has become aninvasive speciesin theUnited States,where it has spread from southern New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, west to Missouri and Illinois, and south to Florida and Texas. It is cultivated in California and Oregon.[citation needed]Its seeds are wind-dispersed and numerous, and they are fertile even over long periods of drought. Each pod, which resembles a flattened bean pod made of paper, holds about 8 seeds on average. The pod bursts in strong winds, and the seeds can carry over long distances.
Breeding work is currently underway in the United States to produce ornamental plants which will not set seed and can be planted without risk.[citation needed]However, in the eastern United States it is generally a short-lived tree, being highly susceptible to mimosa vascular wilt,[11]a fungal disease caused by a species ofFusarium,though the disease does not seem to have seriously impacted its populations. Because of its invasive tendencies and disease susceptibility, it is rarely recommended as an ornamental plant in the United States, though it is still widely planted in parts of Europe.
References
[edit]- ^"Plant of the Week".Gardens.co.nz. Archived fromthe originalon 2013-02-08.Retrieved2014-04-18.
- ^abc"Albizia julibrissin (Mimosa, Persian Silk Tree, Pink Silk Tree, Silk Tree)".North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.Retrieved17 February2021.
- ^abKlingaman, Gerald (July 23, 2004)."Mimosa".University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service.Archivedfrom the original on March 29, 2014.RetrievedFebruary 16,2021.
- ^Juan-Alberto Rodriguez Pérez, Flore exotique dans les îles Canaries, Leon, Espagne, Editorial Everest, 1990.ISBN84-241-4668-9). Page 11
- ^abKathleen Norris Brenzel, ed. (2007).Sunset Western Garden Book.p. 178.
- ^Hợp 歓の hoa ( ねむのはな ) vãn hạ(in Japanese). kigosai.sub.jp.Retrieved2011-06-27.
- ^"RHS Plant SelectorAlbizia julibrissinf.roseaAGM / RHS Gardening ".Apps.rhs.org.uk.Retrieved2020-03-12.
- ^"Albizia julibrissin'Summer Chocolate'".RHS.Retrieved27 February2020.
- ^"Albizia julibrissin (silk tree)".CABI Invasive Species Compendium.November 20, 2019.Archivedfrom the original on 2017-07-23.RetrievedFebruary 16,2021.
- ^Huang, Bishan; Wu, Yingyao; Li, Chan; Tang, Qingfa; Zhang, Yuanwei (2023)."Molecular basis and mechanism of action of Albizia julibrissin in depression treatment and clinical application of its formulae".Chinese Herbal Medicines.15(2). Elsevier BV: 201–213.doi:10.1016/j.chmed.2022.10.004.ISSN1674-6384.PMC10230641.PMID37265761.
- ^Fusarium Wilt of Mimosa (Albizia julibrissin),Virginia Cooperative Extension
External links
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