Tuesday, August 04, 2009

Persian Silk Tree


This unusual mimosa-like tree on the corner of Haro & Broughton street is in full bloom again. I haven't had a chance to blog about it last year, when its intoxicating and beautiful mimosa scent took me by surprise. I looked up and saw a tree covered with pompoms of pink and yellow acacia stamens. It's very fragrant, with a scent reminiscent of mimosa, honey, wood, pollen in the wind in the heat of Provence, and is very perfumey.

The name of the tree is Albizia julibrissin, and it's also called Persian Silk Tree. It's native to Asia (Iran, East China and Korea) and is from the Albizia family, which is a legume related to mimosa and acacia.

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3 Comments:

At August 05, 2009 8:54 AM, Blogger Justine Crane said...

I love the Persian silk tree blossoms' scent! There is a huge, low branched creeper of a tree in my mother's front yard that blooms in mid-Spring here -- it literally fills the air with that beautiful honey and heavy flowers scent. I sit under it for hours, smelling that scent and listening to the bees buzzing away in the branches.

Nice photo :)

 
At August 06, 2009 8:48 AM, Blogger Perfumeshrine said...

We have been having these blossom all along June and July and they're indeed pollen-smelling, honeyed and closely related to mimosa (their branches and leaves are often mistaken for a type of mimosa when not in bloom). We call them Silk Trees too.

Lovely photo!!

 
At August 08, 2009 5:01 PM, Blogger BCas said...

Oi Ayala
Absolutamente maravilhosas. Perfume delicado ao anoitecer. Tenho duas árvores no meu jardim. As flores desabrocham antes da chuva. Bela foto! Beijocas. Elisabeth

Hi Ayala
Absolutely wonderful. Delicate perfume to the dusk. I have two trees in my garden. The flowers unclasp before rain.Beautiful photo! XOXO. Elisabeth

 

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