Albizia julibrissin Durazz

Description :

This plant is a medium sized tree with spreading crown that grows up to the height 5 to 10 m tall. The bark of the tree is generally thin and smooth with the areas shaped like lens along the stem, and it is light brown in color. Leaves of the tree are large, bipinnately compound and up to 45 to 50 cm long, with 10 to 40 pairs of leaflets. Leaflets are alternate along the stem and are oblong and large. Each leaflet is 5 to 12 mm long and 7 to 11 cm wide. Leaves fold themselves at the time of night.  Flowers are arranged in panicles at the end of the branches and are fragrant pink in color with white base, showy and about 3 to 4 cm long, flowers look like pompoms. The fruit is a brown pod and is 10 to 2m long and 2 to 3 cm wide, fruit has several small seeds.

Distribution :

It is native to Asia including Pakistan, China, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Japan, and Iran Iraq. It has introduced in many other areas of the world including, America, Europe and Africa. It prefers to grow in high summer heat areas, it is also frost tolerant. It grows well at the elevation of about 900 m where annual mean temperature is around 25 C. Its soil preference is medium loam soil, sandy load. It can tolerate high salinity and high soil pH.

Uses :

The leaves of the tree are used as fodder. The pollen and nectar from the flowers are used by the bees. The wood is hard and has great value and it used in making of different types of furniture. The bark of the tree is dried and uses to make traditional Chinese medicines including different types of tonics and sedatives.