All flowers
Red Silk-Cotton Tree Wikimedia Commons
Malvaceae

Red Silk-Cotton Tree

Bombax ceiba

Strength and magnificence.

Family
Malvaceae
Genus
Bombax
Native to
South Asia, Southeast Asia, Northern Australia
Bloom season
Spring
Type
deciduous tree
Height
60-80 ft
Sunlight
full sun
Soil
well-drained, sandy to loamy
Water
moderate
Hardiness
10-12
Lifespan
perennial

Did you know

  • The trunk is covered in large, sharp thorns that protect it from animals trying to climb it.
  • Its silky cotton fiber from the seed pods was traditionally used to stuff pillows and life jackets.
  • The tree blooms spectacularly when completely leafless, making the red flowers visible from miles away.
  • In Ayurvedic medicine, nearly every part of the tree is used, from roots to flowers.
  • A mature tree can grow to over 200 feet tall in ideal tropical conditions.

Color meanings

0

power

1

resilience

Uses

  • timber
  • traditional medicine
  • fiber production
  • ornamental tree