Silk-cotton tree
Bombax anceps

Family: Malvaceae

What it is like

A small tree. It grows 13 m tall. The trunk is thorny. The leaves are compound with leaflets arranged like fingers on a hand. There are 5-7 leaflets. The leaflets have pointed tips. The flowers occur singly at the ends of branches. They have 5 white petals. They have a scent. The fruit are oval.

In the subfamily Bombacoideae.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows near river banks and up to 1,400 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Cambodia, China, Indochina, Indonesia, Myanmar, SE Asia, Thailand, Vietnam

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Flowers, bark

How it is grown

Plants can be grown by seeds.

Its other names

Local names

Gao hoa-do, Gao hai-mat, Kokhe, Mai-hnyot-pah, Pohon kapuk sutra, Pohon kabu

Synonyms

Bombax cambodiense Pierre; Bombax insulare Ridl.; Bombax kerri Craib; and others