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Malvaceae
Kapok Flower
Ceiba pentandra
Sacred connection between worlds.
- Family
- Malvaceae
- Genus
- Ceiba
- Native to
- Central America, South America, West Africa, Southeast Asia
- Bloom season
- Winter, Spring
- Type
- deciduous tree
- Height
- 60-200 ft
- Sunlight
- full sun
- Soil
- well-drained, tolerates various types
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- 10-12
- Lifespan
- perennial
Did you know
- The kapok tree is considered the sacred World Tree in Maya mythology, connecting the underworld to the heavens.
- Its seed fibers are extremely buoyant and were used to fill life jackets during World War II.
- A single kapok tree can produce up to 4,000 fruits per season, each containing hundreds of seeds.
- The trunk develops enormous buttress roots that can extend 30 feet from the base.
- Bats are the primary pollinators of kapok flowers, which open at night and emit a musty scent.
Color meanings
0
sacredness
1
spiritual connection
2
protection