Silk tree
Albizia julibrissin
Also called Persian silk tree, Pink siris and Mimosa (US)
Garden plant · TreesIt leafs out in June and looks dead until then — every year, and every year somebody digs one up in May. The leaves fold shut at dusk, which children notice before adults do.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Medium
- Water
- Once a weekWater the ground — water at the base, in the morning, not over the leaves.
- Light
- Full sun, sheltered
- Feed
- Every 45 days
- Humidity
- Average
- Hardiness
- Hardy — an average winter RHS H4, to -10°C
- Size
- 6 m tall · 5 m across
- Lifecycle
- Tree
- Origin
- Iran to Japan
Is it safe for pets and people?
PetsNothing recorded against it
No animal-poison authority lists this plant either way.
PeopleNot checked yet
Nobody has checked this one against a source for us yet, so treat it as unknown rather than safe.
Checked against ASPCA and RHS on 2026-09-21. Where a source says nothing, we say nothing.
A guide, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet or a person has eaten a plant and you are worried, call your vet or doctor now — don’t wait for signs to appear. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.