Cotton tree, Red flower silk cotton tree
Bombax buonopozense

Family: Malvaceae

What it is like

A tree which loses its leaves during the year. It grows to 15-40 m tall and spreads to 3 m wide. The trunk is erect and stout. It is swollen in the middle and branches at the top. It has rough spiny bark. The leaves are divided like fingers on a hand. There are 5 bright green leaflets which are oblong and pointed towards the tip. The flowers are deep pink to red. They are 5 cm across. They are bell shaped and have 5 petals. They occur in crowded clusters near the ends of branches. The fruit is a ball shaped capsule.

There are about 8-20 Bombax species. Also put in the family Bombacaceae. In the subfamily Bombacoideae.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It is native to C. and W. Africa. It does best in soils rich in humus. They need to be well drained. The plants should be in a protected sunny position. It is drought and frost tender. In Nigeria it has been recorded at 240 and 980 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Australia, Benin, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Congo DR, Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon, Ghana, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Nigeria, SE Asia, Sierra Leone, Togo, West Africa (country/location of origin)

How it is used for food

The fleshy calyxes are used in soups and sauces. The young fruit are cut and dried then eaten in various meals. The young leaves are dried and eaten as a potherb. They are also used in soup. The oil from the seeds is used in cooking.

Edible parts

Leaves, flowers, seeds, oil, calyces, fruits

How it is grown

It is grown from seed.

Its other names

Local names

Akpu, An-folan, An-ponk-ponk, Disile, Dombi, Fua, Fua-kone,Fula, Gold Coast Bombax, Ikue, Ndombi, Ponpola, Song, Songo, Titii, Togba, Yawumbui

Synonyms

Bombax angulicarpum; Bombax flammeum;