I hope you are you’re familiar with this sweet tree 💜
This fast growing tree is hard to miss.
Its blooms are reminiscent of a Dr Seuss illustrations. The silky flowers appear as wild paint brushes who’s tips were dipped in hot pink paint, giving us a hint of this plant’s super powers.
Also known as mimosa or silk tree, both the blossoms and the bark are used in herbal medicine here in the west and throughout Asia.
The flowers are sticky and incredibly sweet smelling. They’re considered Shen tonics for their ability to nourish the heart and calm the spirit.
It’s an exceptional ally for grief and constrained emotions.
Albizzia is a “rescuer”, helping to steady the heart and mind when you’re in the depths of intense emotions , especially those that come with grief.
Albizia is considered a “moving herb”.
So it’s helpful when you are feeling stuck in your grief, stuck in depression or anxiety. (It’s not indicated in pregnancy).And it has an added benefit of improving poor memory that often comes along with deep grief and loss.
“an herb that helps you regain your zest for life”
Ron Teegarden, Dragon Herbs
It can be used as a simple (this means used alone) as well as in formula and I recommend it both ways depending on what’s most appropriate for the person in need. It’s one of the many important herbs in the formula An Shen Bu Xin Wan that I wrote about yesterday. It also works well with the zizyphus seed formulas in this post when grief is a factor in insomnia.
If you’re lucky enough to have access to an unsprayed tree its simple to collect the fresh flowers (called Huan Hua in Chinese medicine).
in the early summer. Fill a glass jar full and cover with a 50/50 water and alcohol mix. Allow to sit in a cool, dark space for 6 weeks to 3 months, then strain and store for use as needed. Medicinally the flowers are thought to “lighten’ the heart and mood. Some herbalists call it “herbal Prozac.”
In Asia, the inner bark is used as medicine (called He huan pi in Chinese medicine). To make this it requires peeling off the outer bark of a branch and then peeling and filling a jar with the fresh inner bark pieces and cover with a 60/40 alcohol to water mixture. Medicinally, the bark is thought to “anchor” the spirit.
Very few studies have been done on Albizia, one I am aware of found that an extract of albizia leaves and flowers had significant ability to destroy free radicals which have been linked to slowing down the aging process. (makes sense, since it also promotes sleep and a good night sleep does so much to slow the aging process.)
Grief is something we all experience at different times throughout our lives and while this doesn’t take away the pain, it helps to make the process of grieving more bearable. 💕 I hope you’ll make an effort to have this on hand. Whether you make it yourself or purchase it.
If you’re looking for a good product to try, there are two I recommend regularly: One is called “Adrena Soothe” from Herb Pharm. In additon to albizia, it contains several wonderful herbs all known for their ability to support cortisol levels, improve sleep and calm the nervous system: ashwagandha, Reishi Mushroom, zizyphus seed and Motherwort. .
The other is “Albizia Calm” from Planetary Herbals. It’s a combination extract of both the flowers and the bark.
Both are liquid extracts, so they are easy to take quickly with a sip of water and easy to carry with you for support on tough days.
both available in the catalog under “Favorites” >”Anxiety Support” in my Fullscript account.
Something to think about:
When I was in China studying, one of the Drs said they avoid it for women with estrogen positive breast cancer. I haven’t seen any additional research on that since I’ve been home from China, but I think it’s worthwhile to consider as we never want to be in a position where we cause harm. So if you do have a history of estrogen positive breast cancer, then it’s wise to at least talk to your doctor about it, or avoid it if you’re at all concerned.
As always, you can schedule a simple consult with me if you’d like more personalized guidance.