What is the difference between the silk tree flower and the sensitive plant?
Both the sensitive plant (Mimosa pudica) and the silk tree flower (Albizia julibrissin) are plants in the Fabaceae family, subfamily Mimosoideae, and their leaves look very similar. Many friends also think the sensitive plant and the silk tree are the same plant, but in fact the sensitive plant and the silk tree flower are not the same thing at all, and the two have very big differences. Let us take a look together below!
Silk tree flower
The silk tree flower is a deciduous tree in the Fabaceae family, subfamily Mimosoideae, genus Albizia, a deciduous tree, reaching up to 16 m in height, with a spreading crown; the branchlets are angular, the young branches, inflorescences and leaf rachises are covered with down or short soft hairs, with bipinnately compound leaves, band-shaped pods, a flowering period of June-July, and a fruiting period of August-October.
Sensitive plant
The sensitive plant is a perennial herb or subshrub in the Fabaceae family, subfamily Mimosoideae, genus Mimosa. Because its leaves react to heat and light and close immediately when touched by an external force, it is named the sensitive plant. Its shape resembles a fluffy ball, and after flowering it produces pods, with the fruit being flat and round. The leaves are feather-like compound leaves arranged alternately, in a palmate arrangement, with a flowering period of March-October and a fruiting period of May-November.
The difference between the silk tree flower and the sensitive plant
1. The silk tree flower is a tree of the genus Albizia, reaching up to 16 m in height, while the sensitive plant is a shrub of the genus Mimosa, reaching at most 1 m in height.
2. The leaves of the silk tree flower do not close when touched, while the leaves of the sensitive plant close when touched.
3. The inflorescence of the silk tree flower is relatively large, a fan-shaped inflorescence, with band-shaped pods, while the flower of the sensitive plant is relatively small, a pink spherical head-like inflorescence, with flat and round fruit.
4. The silk tree flower is also known as night-blooming albizia, night-blooming tree, velvet flower tree, bird velvet tree, bitter love flower, etc., while the sensitive plant is also known as, etc.
5. The silk tree flower is sweet in taste and neutral in nature, and has the effects of relieving depression, regulating qi, calming the spirit, activating collaterals, nourishing blood, nourishing yin and the kidneys, and clearing the heart and improving eyesight, while the sensitive plant is sweet and astringent in taste and cool in nature, and has the effects of calming the heart and soothing the spirit, and clearing heat and detoxifying.