Tree Cotton, Cotton tree
Gossypium arboreum

Family: Malvaceae

What it is like

A shrub. It keeps growing from year to year. It grows to 3 m high. The leaf stalk is 2-4 cm long. The leaves have 5 or 7 lobes and spread out like fingers on a hand. They are shiny above. They are parted for half the length of the leaf. The leaf blade is 4-8 cm across. The flowers occur singly in the axils of leaves. The flowers are yellow or purple. The centre is red. The fruit is a capsule. It is oblong and hangs down. It is 3 cm across. The fruit capsule has 3 valves. There are 5-8 seeds in each cell. They are 5-8 mm across.

There are 40 Gossypium species. They grow in the tropics and subtropics. A diploid plant. In Slovenia possibly in a hot house.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It is native to tropical and subtropical Asia. In Nepal it grows up to 1500 m altitude. It is widely cultivated in river basins in China. It is damaged by drought and frost. It suits hardiness zones 10-12. In Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Arabia, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Benin, China, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, Fiji, Ghana, Himalayas, India (country/location of origin), Indochina, Ivory Coast, Korea, Madagascar, Middle East, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, Pacific, Pakistan, SE Asia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vanuatu, Vietnam, West Africa, Zambia

How it is used for food

Oil from the seeds is edible. The leaves are also eaten.

It is cultivated.

Edible parts

Seeds, leaves, oil

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed.

Its other names

Local names

Bong-vai cay, Coton, Hathi, Kapas ko bot, Kapas, Karpasamu, Karpaso, Kopa, Mokwa, Panji, Paruthi, Patti, Rui, Shu mian, Thagya-wah, Tula, Wah-gyi

Synonyms

Gossypium nanking Meyen.; Gossypium indicum Tod.; Gossypium neglectum Tod.; Gossypium sanguineum Hassk.; Gossypium intermedium Tod.; Gossypium cernuum Tod.;