This rare subtropical tree is rather like Albizia julibrissin but bigger, and has fine, ferny, divided foliage and huge, fluffy, pink flowers which form in late summer and early autumn. The flowers, which have a beautiful sweet pea-like perfume, are followed by flat seed pods. Known by a wide variety of common names, such as Persian silk tree or pink siris, the species is usually called "silk tree" or "mimosa" in the United States. Its leaves slowly close during the night and during periods of rain, the leaflets bowing downward as if the tree were sleeping. It is native to Colombia, El Salvador, Peru and Panama but is also cultivated in Indonesia. ... Learn More

This is a pretty and wide spreading tree which can be several times wider than it is high with very fine, ferny, divided foliage and fluffy, pink flowers which form in late summer and early autumn. The flowers, which have a sweet pea-like perfume, are followed by flat seed pods. Known by a wide variety of common names, such as Persian silk tree or pink siris, the species is usually called "silk tree" or "mimosa" in the United States. Its leaves slowly close during the night and during periods of rain, the leaflets bowing downward as if the tree were sleeping: its modern Persian name shabkhosb apparently means "night sleeper" (from shab "night" and -khosb "sleeper"). In Japan its common names are nemunoki, nemurinoki and nenenoki which all mean "sleeping tree". ... Learn More

This attractive deciduous tree with a rounded, spreading crown and pale bark produces showy, fragrant, Mimosa-like, cream or yellowish-white flowers with numerous long stamens, which open in rounded clusters near the stem tips. Impressive, long, flat linear pods, persist after leaf-fall, the local name "Woman's tongues" referring to the sound the seeds make as they rattle inside the pods. In ancient Tamil culture, the flowers were made into a crown and were used to welcome home victorious soldiers. In traditional medicine, it is also psychoactive and an astringent and is also used by some cultures to treat boils, coughs, to treat the eye, influenza, gingivitis, lung problems, pectoral problems, and is used as a tonic. ... Learn More