oh, it's invasive alright... it's invasive in NORTHERN California, much less southern. almost every empty lot in Sacramento has a silk tree in it.

It is deciduous. I collected seeds from one on a golf course in Southern California in December. The tree was bare of leaves. The seeds were easy to grow. This time of year the trees should be full and flowering. Considered messy due to seed pod drop later in the year. In the right situation though, a nifty little tree.

My childhood home in the San Fernando Valley section of Los Angeles had this tree. Definitely deciduous.
I have fond memories of the tree and loved the lacy leaves as well as the pink fuzzy blooms. But my parents did not like the mess. Subsequent owners of the home removed the tree as it no longer remains in front of the house.
Don't have recollection of it being invasive - but I was young - it was planted in our lawn in the front yard.

My son had one on the coast in northern California and it grew under his concrete slab and was buckling the floors. It took him 3 years to kill the roots that kept growing back. Al

For an evergreen tree with a similar look, consider planting Calliandra surinamensis, the Surinam Powderpuff Tree. In Encinitas it bloomed for me virtually every day of the year, kept its leaves, virtually never had seedlings (although it does produce seeds), and in about 3 years grew to 15' tall from a 15-gallon plant. It also needs only moderate water and looks great! You can let it get very thick or prune it to a lacy form. It is NOT invasive

You can see photos of it in the book Ornamental Trees of San Diego, which is sold in nurseries and bookstores all over San Diego. It is published by the San Diego Horticultural Society.

Here is a link that might be useful: San Diego Horticultural Society

Susi, you may have just solved the mystery of why a supposedly authorative person has proclaimed the virtues of a 'well-behaved, evergreen Albizia julibrissin' in Southern California. I've been having quite a 'discussion' about this with her. Thank you so very much for posting this information.

I'd like to thank everyone for taking the time to share their knowledge.

Dorie - Happy to help! These two trees look very much alike!