Flower profile
Persian silk tree
Albizia julibrissin
Persian silk tree (Albizia julibrissin) is a shrub or small tree in the Fabaceae family, introduced in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly May–July across the U.S.
Persian silk tree is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as introduced in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 13 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in May–July.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia
Quick look
Albizia julibrissin, the Persian silk tree, pink silk tree, or mimosa tree, is a species of tree in the Fabaceae family, native to southwestern and eastern Asia.
- It belongs to the Fabaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as a shrub / a tree with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as introduced in the lower 48 states and records it in 29 states. USDA PLANTS
- In North Carolina, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in June–July. iNaturalist
- In Virginia, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in June–July. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as white. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as mid summer. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 20 ft. USDA PLANTS
- iNaturalist has 3,615 research-grade sightings of it in North Carolina, ranking #36 among the 192 flowers on our North Carolina list. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 3,326 research-grade sightings of it in Virginia, ranking #50 among the 189 flowers on our Virginia list. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 2,768 research-grade sightings of it in Tennessee, ranking #27 among the 182 flowers on our Tennessee list. iNaturalist
When does it bloom?
Bloom time in the 13 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
| State | Type | Peak bloom | Sightings* |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | Introduced | June–July | 3,615 |
| Virginia | Introduced | June–July | 3,326 |
| Tennessee | Introduced | June–July | 2,768 |
| Georgia | Introduced | May–July | 2,516 |
| Alabama | Introduced | May–July | 2,370 |
| Maryland | Introduced | June–July | 1,888 |
| South Carolina | Introduced | few records (45) | 1,081 |
| New Jersey | Introduced | June–August | 1,060 |
| Arkansas | Introduced | few records (40) | 1,021 |
| Louisiana | Introduced | few records (18) | 553 |
| Mississippi | Introduced | May–June | 436 |
| Oklahoma | Introduced | few records (20) | 407 |
| Delaware | Introduced | few records (24) | 237 |
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- GNR Not yet ranked worldwide. NatureServe
- State rare plant lists
- Not listed Not on the official rare plant list in 7 of our 13 states.
See each state
- North Carolina
- Not listed Not on North Carolina Protected Plant Species List (02 NCAC 48F .0301). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in North Carolina. 02 NCAC 48F .0301
- Virginia
- Not listed Not on Virginia endangered and threatened plant and insect species (2VAC5-320-10). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Virginia. 2VAC5-320-10
- Tennessee
- Not listed Not on Tennessee endangered plants (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0400-06-02-.04, Rare Plant Protection and Conservation Act). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Tennessee. TN rule 0400-06-02-.04
- Georgia
- Not listed Not on Georgia protected plants (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-10-.09; a 2026 update is proposed). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Georgia. Ga. R. 391-4-10-.09
- Maryland
- Not listed Not on Maryland threatened and endangered plants (COMAR 08.03.08.05, .06 and .08). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Maryland. COMAR 08.03.08
- New Jersey
- Not listed Not on New Jersey Endangered Plant Species List (N.J.A.C. 7:5C-5.1). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in New Jersey. N.J.A.C. 7:5C-5.1
- Delaware
- Not listed Not on Rare and Uncommon Plants of Delaware (DNREC, 2024; informational, Delaware has no state plant-protection list). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Delaware. DE rare plants 2024
- Alabama
- No list Alabama has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Alabama ranks instead. NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Alabama.
- South Carolina
- No list South Carolina has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's South Carolina ranks instead. NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in South Carolina.
- Arkansas
- No list Arkansas has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Arkansas ranks instead. NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Arkansas.
- Louisiana
- No list Louisiana has no state list of endangered or threatened plants separate from the federal list, so we show federal status and NatureServe's Louisiana ranks. NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Louisiana.
- Mississippi
- No list Mississippi has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Mississippi ranks instead. NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Mississippi.
- Oklahoma
- No list Oklahoma has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Oklahoma ranks instead. NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Oklahoma.
- Rare elsewhere
- No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no edibility or poison notes on its page), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people. NC State Extension
NC State Extension flags it as a problem for dogs. It isn't on the ASPCA plant list. NC State Extension
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records persian silk tree in 29 states plus Washington, D.C.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia; District of Columbia.
North Carolina counties with USDA records: Alamance, Brunswick, Burke, Catawba, Chatham, Cleveland, Cumberland, Davidson, Davie, Durham, Forsyth, Greene, Halifax, Harnett, Haywood, Henderson, Hyde, Iredell, Johnston, Lee, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Onslow, Orange, Pamlico, Polk, Randolph, Richmond, Rowan, Sampson, Swain, Wake.
Virginia counties with USDA records: Accomack, Albemarle, Amelia, Amherst, Arlington, Augusta, Bedford, Botetourt, Brunswick, Buckingham, Campbell, Caroline, Charles City, Charlotte, Chesapeake , Chesterfield, Culpeper, Cumberland, Dickenson, Dinwiddie, Essex, Fairfax, Fauquier, Fluvanna, Franklin, Gloucester, Goochland, Greene, Greensville, Halifax, Hampton , Hanover, Henrico, Henry, Isle of Wight, James City, King George, King William, King and Queen, Lancaster, Loudoun, Louisa, Madison, Mathews, Mecklenburg, Middlesex, Nelson, New Kent, Newport News , Northampton, Northumberland, Orange, Page, Pittsylvania, Powhatan, Prince Edward, Prince George, Prince William, Rappahannock, Richmond, Roanoke, Rockingham, Scott, Shenandoah, Smyth, Southampton, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Suffolk , Surry, Sussex, Virginia Beach , Warren, Washington, Westmoreland, York.
Tennessee counties with USDA records: Anderson, Campbell, Carter, Davidson, DeKalb, Dickson, Fentress, Greene, Grundy, Hardin, Haywood, Jefferson, Knox, Lake, Loudon, Montgomery, Rutherford, Sevier, Shelby, Stewart, Tipton, Union, Washington.
Growing conditions
USDA PLANTS gives Persian silk tree a high shade tolerance, medium drought tolerance and medium moisture use. It is rated for soil pH 4.8 to 7.3 and winter lows down to 2 °F.
- Shade tolerance
- High
- Drought tolerance
- Medium
- Moisture use
- Medium
- Soil textures it is adapted to
- coarse, medium, fine
- Soil pH range
- 4.8 to 7.3
- Minimum temperature tolerated
- 2 °F
- Frost-free days needed (minimum)
- 200
- Annual precipitation range
- 30 to 60 inches
- Minimum root depth
- 30 inches
- Salinity tolerance
- Low
- Fertility requirement
- Low
- Growth rate
- Rapid
- Lifespan
- Short
- Active growth period
- Spring and Summer
- Fruit or seed
- Brown · Summer to Fall
- Can be propagated by
- bare root, container, seed
- Commercial availability
- Routinely Available
From the USDA PLANTS characteristics data for ALJU. USDA ratings are general guidance for the species, not a guarantee for your garden.
Names, range and relatives
County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 510 counties across 24 states; the most are in Virginia (76), Alabama (55), Louisiana (48).
More from the Fabaceae family (114 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Lupines, White clover, Red clover, Eastern redbud, Purple crownvetch, Bird's-foot trefoil, Partridge pea, White sweetclover.
More North Carolina flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile ALJU.
- iNaturalist, Albizia julibrissin: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Albizia julibrissin (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- State rare and invasive plant lists (18):
Show all 18 state lists
- North Carolina: North Carolina Protected Plant Species List (02 NCAC 48F .0301).
- North Carolina: North Carolina Noxious Weed List (02 NCAC 48A .1702) (the list names any non-native Lythrum; we apply it to purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), which isn't native).
- Virginia: Virginia endangered and threatened plant and insect species (2VAC5-320-10).
- Virginia: Virginia noxious weeds (2VAC5-317-20, Tier 1, 2 and 3).
- Tennessee: Tennessee endangered plants (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0400-06-02-.04, Rare Plant Protection and Conservation Act).
- Tennessee: Tennessee Pest Plant List (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0080-06-24-.02).
- Georgia: Georgia protected plants (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-10-.09; a 2026 update is proposed).
- Alabama: Alabama noxious weeds (Ala. Admin. Code r. 80-10-14-.04).
- Maryland: Maryland threatened and endangered plants (COMAR 08.03.08.05, .06 and .08).
- Maryland: Maryland Prohibited Invasive Plant List (COMAR 15.06.04.06; MDA, updated July 2026).
- South Carolina: South Carolina State Plant Pest List, plants (S.C. Code Regs. 27-135; Clemson Dept. of Plant Industry).
- New Jersey: New Jersey Endangered Plant Species List (N.J.A.C. 7:5C-5.1).
- New Jersey: New Jersey prohibited invasive plant species (Invasive Species Management Act; propagation banned from Jan 1, 2027, sale from Jan 1, 2030).
- Arkansas: Arkansas State Plant Board noxious weeds and prohibited plants (2 CAR § 50-101).
- Mississippi: Mississippi Noxious Weed List (2 Miss. Code R. 1-3-01-136.01).
- Oklahoma: Oklahoma Noxious Weed Law (2 O.S. § 3-220).
- Delaware: Rare and Uncommon Plants of Delaware (DNREC, 2024; informational, Delaware has no state plant-protection list).
- Delaware: Delaware Invasive Plant List (3 Del. Admin. Code § 806-3.0).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Albizia julibrissin (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
- Photo: Andrew Conboy via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.