Silk floss tree
Ceiba speciosa

Family: Malvaceae

What it is like

A tree. The trunk is bottle shaped. It has thick cone shaped prickles. The young trees have a green trunk. It loses its leaves during the year. The leaves are made up of 5-7 long leaflets. The flowers are creamy white and pink towards the tip of the petals. There are 5 petals. The fruit are woody pods 20 cm long. The seeds are black and bean sized. They have fibrous silk or cotton around them.

Also put in the family Bombacaceae. In the subfamily Bombacoideae.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It can resist drought. It can tolerate some cold. In Argentina it grows below 700 m above sea level. National Arboretum Canberra.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil (country/location of origin), Ethiopia, India, Paraguay, Peru, South America (country/location of origin), Uruguay, West Indies

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Seeds - oil

How it is grown

It grows quickly.

Its other names

Local names

Algodon, Algodonero, Algodori, Barriguda, Divi, Paina, Paineira

Synonyms

Bombax aculeatum Vell.; Chorisia speciosa A. St-Hil.;