East African cotton tree
Bombax rhodognaphalon var. tomentosum

Family: Malvaceae

What it is like

A tree that loses its leaves. It grows 30-36 m high. The trunk is long and straight. The bark is smooth and yellow-green. The leaves are compound with 3-7 leaflets. These are arranged like fingers on a hand. The leaflets are 4 cm long. The flowers have 5 petals and are yellow, red or white. The fruit is a woody capsule. It has 5 valves. It is oval and 6 cm long by 3 cm wide. The seeds are embedded in woolly hairs. There may be 2 varieties differing in the woolly layer under the leaf.

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 grows in lowland rainforest. It suits humid locations. In Malawi it occurs between 650-800 m altitude. It will grow in dry places. In East Africa it occurs between 600-1,000 m above sea level. It can grow in arid places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, East Africa, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Southern Africa, Tanzania

How it is used for food

The seeds are cooked, pounded and eaten in vegetable dishes and meat dishes. They can be roasted and eaten as nuts.

Seeds are sold in local markets.

Edible parts

Seeds, oil

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seeds. They need to be planted fresh. Seed can be stored for 3 months.

It grows quickly.

Its other names

Local names

Mfuma, Mkaranga mti, Msufi pori, Mwale

Synonyms

Bombax stolzii Ulbr.; Rhodognaphalon stolzii (Ulbr.) A. Robyns; Rhodognaphalon schumannianum A. Robyns; Rhodognaphalon tanganyikense A. Robyns;