Chinese albizia
StarAlbizia chinensis
Synonyms: Mimosa marginata, Albizia smithiana, Inga umbraculiformis, Albizia chinensis var. smithiana, Albizia stipulata, Acacia smithiana, Acacia gualparensis, Feuilleea stipulata, Albizia purpurascens, Acacia lomatocarpa, Acacia stipulata, Albizia minyi, Albizia marginata, Mimosa smithiana, Mimosa stipulacea, Mimosa chinensis, Inga purpurascens, Arthrosprion stipulatum, Mimosa stipulata
Western Herbalism Properties
Traditional Uses
In South and Southeast Asian folk medicine the tannin-rich bark of Albizia chinensis is used as an astringent for diarrhea, dysentery, and to promote wound healing, while a paste of the leaves is applied to insect and snake bites (folk reports compiled in pharmacological reviews). Experimental studies of bark and leaf extracts have reported sleep-inducing (sedative-hypnotic), analgesic, and anti-inflammatory activity (Rahman et al., Afr J Pharm Pharmacol).
Botanical Description
Albizia chinensis, sometimes called the Chinese albizia or silk tree, is a fast-growing, often large deciduous tree of the legume family native to South and Southeast Asia and southern China, frequently grown for shade in plantations and as a soil-improving species. It develops a spreading, flat-topped crown and a trunk with grayish, somewhat warty bark. The leaves are large and bipinnately compound, divided into many pinnae each bearing numerous small, oblong leaflets that fold at night, a familiar trait of the mimosoid legumes. The flowers are arranged in rounded heads and consist chiefly of long, slender stamens, greenish-white to pale yellow, that give the inflorescence a feathery, powder-puff appearance. The fruit is a flat, thin, brown pod containing several seeds. A nitrogen-fixing tree, it favors warm, humid lowland and lower montane regions and is valued both for shade in tea and coffee estates and as a source of timber and fuelwood.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
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