Imagen: A. Riocreaux (1870). plantillustrations.org

Persian silk tree

Albizia julibrissin Durazz.

Fabaceae

The genus Albizia is dedicated to the Florentine nobleman Filippo degli Albizzi, Marquis of Castelnuovo, who is said to have introduced this species to Europe. The specific epithet comes from the Persian Gul (flower) and Abrisham (silk), i.e. "silk flower".

Originating from subtropical Asia, from Iran to China and Taiwan, it is called the Costantinople Acacia, as it was from this city that it arrived in Europe at the end of the first half of the 18th century. Today it is frequently used in gardening because of its showy flowering and resistance (especially to drought). Its relative, Albizia procera, is also used, but has much more humble flowers.