Scientific name: Albizia julibrissin Durazz.

Family: Fabaceae

Common name: Pink Siris, Persian Silk Tree

This is a tree that attracts a lot of attention when it is in bloom, from late May to June. One of its common names is Constantinople acacia, but it is not a true acacia, although it belongs to the same family as them. It is naturally distributed from Iran to Japan.

The silk tree does not usually reach 10 meters in height, and has a very characteristic, open and sunny crown. The leaves are very pinnate and delicate in appearance, which gives the plant an elegant look. In the cold months it loses them, as it is deciduous. Its flowers are grouped in pinkish-white heads, each head is about 5 cm long and has between 20 and 25 flowers. The corolla is like a small greenish funnel, but what makes them so striking are the thin and long stamens, very abundant and pink. The fruit is a flattened, light brown legume.

The name of the genus is dedicated to Filippo de Albizzi, an 18th century Italian naturalist. The species name, julibrissin, seems to be the native Persian name. It was introduced in Europe in the 18th century, and today it is widely cultivated as an ornamental, it also has several applications in carpentry and traditional medicine; the seed serves as food for livestock and its nectar is attractive to bees. In La Concepción there is a specimen in the Around the World in 80 Trees.