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Tropicals, Woody > Bombax > Bombax ceiba > Bombax ceiba

Bombax ceiba


Red Silk-Cotton, Red Cotton Tree, Kapok, Silk Cotton




Origin:  Southern Asia.
Family
Malvaceae
Genus
Bombax
Species
ceiba
Category
Tropicals, Woody
Type
Tree (deciduous)
USDA Hardiness Zone
10a - 12b
Canadian Hardiness Zone
Cool season protection under glass.
RHS Hardiness Zone
H1c
Temperature (°C)
2 - 17
Temperature (°F)
30
Height
12 - 40 m
Spread
4 - 18 m
Photographs
Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
AprilMayJune
Landscape
A very attractive ornamental large tree when in bloom, suited to parks and large open landscapes.
Cultivation
Full sun and well drained soils.
Shape
Branches are whorled going up the trunk.
Growth
Medium
Habitat
Stream banks, warm forests valleys and tropical areas.
Bark/Stem Description
Conical spikes around trunk and branches.
Flower/Leaf Bud Description
Oval and dense at tips.
Leaf Description
Palmate, 5 - 7 lobed, lanceolate to elliptic leaves. Leaflets are attached to a long petiole
Flower Description
Calyx shaped flowers, fleshy with 5 petal. Single flowers but dense at branch tips.
Fruit Description
Pod-like capsules filled with seeds and silky cotton material.
Colour Description
Flowers are red with yellow stamens and black anthers. Bark is a greenish-grey. Foliage is a deep green. Buds are a greenish-brown.
Texture Description
Flowers are thick and fleshy with a waxy appearance. The bark us smooth but prickly.
Propagation
Seeds, cuttings and air layering.
Ethnobotanical Uses (Disclaimer)
Floss (kapok) is used for stuffing blankets and coats. Used to treat diabetes.
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