Ceiba pentandra

Ceiba pentandra
• Family: Malvaceae
• Common Names: Kapok, cotton-tree, Ceiba, silk cotton-tree, pochote, fromager, bongo
• Synonyms (Discarded names): Bombax pentandrum, Bombax guineense,Cebia caribaea, C.
casearia, Eriodendron anfractuosum, E. ocidentale, E. orientale, Xylon pentandrum
• Origin: Caribbean, Central America, Northern and Western South America, Brazil, Western
Tropical Africa U.S.D.A.
• Zone: 10A-11 (30°F minimum)
• Growth Rate: Fast
• Plant Type: Large Tree
• Leaf Persistence: Briefly deciduous in winter Flowering
• Months: Mostly February to early March
• Light Requirements: High
• Salt Tolerance: Medium
• Drought Tolerance: High Wind
• Tolerance: Moderate
• Soil Requirements: Wide
• Nutritional Requirements: Medium
• Major Potential Pests: None in Florida
• Typical Dimensions: 120’x80’
• Propagation: Seed, cuttings
• Human Hazards: Spiny
• Uses: Shade, specimen
• Geographic Distribution and Ecology
Ceiba pentandra grows in the dry, humid, and very humid tropics. It has worldwide
tropical distribution growing scattered with no large concentrations of trees. Kapok is
considered native to the Bahamas and the Caribbean, Northern Mexico to Northern
South America. It is also native in many countries of tropical West Africa from Cape
Verde, eastward to Chad and south to Angola. One explanation for its transcontinental
nativity is that sea currents might have carried the trees’ floating seed capsules to new
locations. There is strong ecological, botanical and cytological evidence that the trees’
original distribution may have been in western and central Africa. The controversy is not
yet settled.
Kapok is now seen throughout the tropics mainly because it was extensively cultivated for
the fibrous kapok found in mature fruit capsules. The tree has become naturalized on
many Pacific Islands. It is occasionally seen in South Florida where in some places its
growth is restricted by low winter temperatures. It occurs in rainforests and in gallery
forests in drier areas. It is a pioneer in secondary forest and riverine forest, and is rarely
found in primary forest. In Costa Rica it is found in areas with 0 to 6 months of no
precipitation. The tree requires abundant rainfall during the vegetative period and a drier
period for flowering and fruiting. It is not tolerant of strong wind and raging fire.
• Growth Habit
The Trunk: The species is a gigantic, fast-growing tree and is one of the
largest trees in the tropics. Under ideal conditions, the tree reaches a height of
16 to 19 feet within two years. It is common for this tree to grow anywhere
between 100 to 200 feet tall. The trunks of young trees can take on various
appearances. Trunk and branches of some juvenile trees are covered with
heavy conical spines on brown or silvery bark. Others are mostly spineless with
silver or green bark. Yet others have smooth green bark. Older trees of
whatever types have gray trunks and those with spines lose most or all of them
with age.
Buttressing of Trunk: Older kapok trees can be identified by their very large
buttress or flanged trunks. The buttress grows out from the base of the tree and
can be many feet above ground. It gives greater stability to the tree’s massive
trunk which can reach up to 9 feet in diameter.
Tree Forms: Trees seem to develop two noticeable forms. Firstly, trees grown
in competition with other trees become the emergent vegetation and develop a
long, cylindrical bole above the buttress. The moreor-less horizontal branches
come out high on the trunk and provide a noticeably flat base for the crown of
the tree. Secondly, trees grown without significant vegetative competition are
less inclined to have a trunk free of mid-level branches. The width of these
trees are usually noticeably greater than the height. Young trees grown in the
open have recognizable tiered branches.
 Leaves
Kapok is deciduous during part of the dry season. Trees can be
leafless at different times in the same general location. Leaves are
alternate, palmate with 5 to 9 entire leaflets. They are 3 to 8 inches long
on slender green petioles 3 to 9 inches long. Leaflets are glabrous,
oblong in shape, 3 to 8 inches long, and droop from short stalks. In
South Florida, the leaves are shed in the months of November to
January. New leaf growth is rapid and begins occurring while the tree is
still in flower. This takes place for about two weeks sometime in
February or March. The dry season in Florida persists into June well
after the trees have refoliated.
 Flowering and Flowers
Flowering of Ceiba pentendra occurs at different times throughout the world but within the
dry season of each location. It flowers when it is deciduous or when it is almost without
foliage. In Mexico flowering occurs from January to March. In Trinidad and Tobago kapok
flowers from February to May. In the Dominican Republic it’s from December to
February. In Java, it’s during the month of May. In South Florida, kapok blooms for 2 to 3
weeks from January to March. However, bloom time is unpredictable from year to year
and for some trees, annual flowering does not occur.
Kapok is considered to be a hermaphroditic species (flowers contain both reproductive
parts). Flower are rather small and numerous. They are found near the branch end in
dense pendent axillary clusters. The five petal flowers take on various hues of white and
pink and have brown hairs on the surface. The 5 stamens are joined at the base and
project beyond the recurved petals. The flowers give off a noticeable odor and attract
pollinating insects. Bats, birds and bees are major pollinators. Pollination is inhibited
when nighttime temperatures fall below 60°F. Consequently, many trees in Florida do not
set fruit. Shortly after flowering, the tree refoliates
 Fruit
Woody seed capsules mature in spring and summer. Capsules are usually 4 to
8 inches long, and 2 inches in diameter. They are oblong or elliptic tapering off
at the ends. In spring and summer, the mature capsules split into five segments
releasing the characteristic “silk cotton” also known as kapok. Many black
seeds found within the capsules are widely and freely dispersed by the wind.
The kapok allows the seeds to parachute or float for long periods of time before
settling and perhaps germinating.
 Uses
Ceiba pentandra is planted as a shade or specimen tree. The flowers are numerous but
the bloom is not prominent enough for it to be considered a worthwhile ornamental
flowering tree. The tree is sometimes left by farmers after clearing the forest for
agricultural land, to serve as a shade tree for cultivation of crops such as coffee and tea.
It is reported that leaves, buds, and fruit are edible when cooked. In Java the young pod
is eaten and in West Africa the seeds are eaten roasted or in soups. Leaves are readily
consumed by cattle, goats and sheep.
Kapok was an important commercial fiber before the Second World War, with Indonesia
being the most important producer. The use of kapok fiber declined in the late 20th
century after the introduction of synthetic substitutes. A growing tree produces about 600
to 900 seed capsules or 6 to 9 pounds of clean floss annually known as kapok. This fiber
is fine, lightweight, elastic and does not matt under pressure. The fiber is brittle and
inflammable and not suitable for spinning into threads. Kapok was used for stuffing pillow,
lifebuoys, life-jackets, mattresses, saddles, sleeping bags and protective clothing.
The wood is now seldom used on the islands of the Caribbean. It is very light brown but
nearly always turned to blue gray by sap-staining fungi. Exceedingly light weight (specific
gravity 0.23), it is very soft, weak, coarse-textured and straight-grained. The heartwood
is not clearly demarcated from the sapwood. Despite the lack of durability, the wood was
the common material used for long dugout canoes by Aboriginal Indians. It is suitable for
making tubs, basins, stools and for carvings of all types.
 Similar Appearing Species
Two other trees seen more frequently in
South Florida are easily confused for C.
pentandra. The silkcotton tree (Ceiba
speciosa) and the red silk-cotton tree
(Bombax ceiba) are described by clicking on
the blue words.