When does the silk tree (Albizia julibrissin Durazz.) bloom?
You may not be familiar with the blooming season of the silk tree and the introduction to the ornamental aspects of its flowering period. The following is a comprehensive introduction.
Albizia julibrissin Durazz., also known as the velvet tree or pink siris, is a deciduous tree that blooms in summer with capitate inflorescences, gamopetalous flowers, multiple stamens, and light red color. The pod is linear, flat, and unsplit. It can grow to 4-15 meters tall. The crown is spreading; the young branches are angular, and the young branches, inflorescences, and rachis are covered with villous or short pubescent hair. The stipules are linear-lanceolate; the capitate inflorescences are arranged in paniculate inflorescences at the top of the branches; the flowers are pink; the calyx is tubular, the flowering period is June to July; the fruiting period is August to October.
It prefers light and can tolerate dry and thin soil. The wood is reddish-brown, the grain is straight, the structure is fine, and it is prone to cracking when dry, which can be used to make furniture, sleepers, etc. The bark can be used to extract tannin. It is native to China, Japan, Korea, and North Korea and is the city tree of Weihai City.
The silk tree is a deciduous tree that can reach 16 meters in height. The trunk is gray-black; the young branches, inflorescences, and rachis are covered with villous or short pubescent hair. The stipules are linear-lanceolate, smaller than the leaves, and early deciduous; the leaves are bipinnate, alternate; the petiole is 3-5 cm long, with a nodule at the base and the top pair of pinnae; there are 4-12 pairs of pinnae, sometimes up to 20 pairs in cultivation; the leaflets are 10-30 pairs, linear to oblong, 6-12 mm long, 1-4 mm wide, obliquely upward, with a small tip at the apex, margin pubescent, sometimes pubescent on the underside or only on the midrib; the midrib is close to the upper edge.
The capitate inflorescences are arranged in paniculate inflorescences at the top of the branches; the flowers are pink; the calyx is tubular, 3 mm long; the corolla is 8 mm long, the lobes are triangular, 1.5 mm long, both the calyx and corolla are covered with short pubescent hair; there are many stamens, basally connate, the filaments are slender; the ovary is superior, the style is almost as long as the filaments, the stigma is cylindrical. The pod is strap-shaped, 9-15 cm long, 1.5-2.5 cm wide, the young pods are pubescent, and the old pods are hairless. The flowering period is June to July; the fruiting period is August to October.
Growing on slopes or cultivated. The silk tree prefers a warm and humid environment with plenty of sunlight, and is highly adaptable to climate and soil. It grows well in well-drained, fertile soil but also tolerates poor soil and dry climate, but not waterlogging. It grows rapidly. It is light-loving, warm-loving, cold-resistant, drought-resistant, and tolerant to poor soil and slight salinity. It has strong resistance to harmful gases such as sulfur dioxide and hydrogen chloride.
Distributed in East China, South China, and Southwest China, from the Yellow River Basin to the Pearl River Basin, including provinces such as Liaoning, Hebei, Henan, and Shaanxi. It is also distributed in North Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, India, Iran, eastern Africa, and southern America, as well as from Central Asia to East Asia.
Folklore
1. The silk tree is a plant that is liked by many, with many aliases, one of which is the "love tree," which has a moving legend. It is said that there was a village at the foot of Mount Tai in ancient times, where there was a wealthy man named He. In his later years, He had a daughter named Xihan. This girl was intelligent and beautiful, and her parents adored her. When Xihan was 18 years old, she went to burn incense on 南山 (Nanshan) during the Qingming Festival and came back with an incurable disease, becoming disoriented, losing her appetite, and getting thinner day by day. Many famous doctors were invited, and she took a lot of medicine, but nothing worked. Therefore, He put up a notice, offering a reward to anyone who could cure his daughter's illness.
There was a poor scholar in Xizhuang, who was handsome and intelligent, with literary talent and medical knowledge. He was eager to take the imperial examination but had no money to do so. Seeing the notice, the scholar claimed the reward and entered the He family. Upon seeing the girl, the scholar immediately understood her condition. It turned out that on the day of the 南山 (Nanshan) incense burning, the girl had met the scholar and fallen in love with him. After returning home, she was lovesick day and night, and upon seeing the scholar again, her illness was reduced by half. Therefore, after examining her pulse, the scholar said, "This young lady is sick because her wishes were not fulfilled, her worries turned into illness, and her emotions were depressed." He also said that there was a tree on Nanshan, known as the "emotional tree," with bipinnate leaves, opposite leaves, and flowers that open during the day and close at night, with silken texture and fragrant scent, which can clear the mind and resolve depression, stabilize the spirit, and when boiled in water and drunk, it can cure the young lady's illness. Upon hearing the scholar's words, the wealthy man immediately sent people to collect the flowers from Nanshan with the scholar. Following the scholar's instructions, the young lady recovered after taking the medicine. She developed a deeper affection for the scholar. With the young lady's support, the scholar took the imperial examination and won first place, also winning the young lady's heart. The day he was listed on the imperial roll was the night of the wedding. Later, people called this "emotional tree" the silk tree, and the flower was called silk flower.
2. Because the silk tree's branches and leaves close at night, there is also a saying about it being the "ghost clapping hands."
Flower Language
In China, the silk flower is considered a lucky flower, believed to "resolve resentment and promote harmony." Since ancient times, it has been a custom to plant silk trees next to houses and gardens, symbolizing harmonious couples, united families, and peaceful and friendly relations with neighbors. Qing Dynasty writer Li Yu said, "The daylily can relieve worries, and the silk tree can resolve resentment, both are beneficial to human emotions and can be planted anywhere. ... Anyone who sees this flower will undoubtedly resolve anger and become happy, turn tears into laughter. The daylily may not need to be planted, but the silk tree must not be left unplanted." The leaves of the silk flower open in the morning and close at dusk. In ancient times, after a couple quarreled and made up, they would drink tea brewed with silk flowers. People also often send silk flowers to couples who have quarreled or place them under their pillows, wishing them harmony and happiness, and a more beautiful life. If friends have misunderstandings, they can also exchange silk flowers, symbolizing the resolution of resentment and harmony.
The above is a comprehensive introduction to the blooming season of the silk tree and a brief introduction to the flowering period for ornamental purposes. I hope it can be helpful to you. Don't forget to check out more experience and knowledge about flower cultivation!