noun
silk tree; mimosa tree
Refers to the tree Albizia julibrissin, known for its pink, silky flowers. Often called ネムノキ in full. The kanji 合歓 is an ateji spelling rarely used outside botanical or poetic contexts.
See also: ネムノキ
庭にねむの木が一本ある。
There is a silk tree in the garden.
合歓の花が咲く季節になった。
It's the season when the silk tree flowers bloom.
The full, common name for the silk tree. ねむ is a shorter, less common form.
The reading ねむ is a gikun (meaning-based reading) for the ateji 合歓. The origin of the word is uncertain, but it may be related to the tree's leaves closing at night, resembling sleep (眠る).