Red Silk Cottontree Bombax ceiba

Red Silk Cottontree is a large, flowering, deciduous tree with spines that, at maturity, can reach a height of 70 feet with an almost equal spread. In optimum growing conditions, this species has been known to reach 150 feet tall. In its native environment, it can be found in monsoon forests, river valleys, savannas and up to 4000 feet in the hills of China and Indo-malaysia. Because its native environment can have soil moisture levels that change significantly over time from dry and hot to wet, the tree is very adaptable. It has been widely planted in tropical and sub-tropical areas including southern Florida, where it was introduced in 1912. It has a straight trunks (2 to 5 feet in diameter), large showy red flowers, and smooth white bark. The genus comes from the Greek bombyx meaning silk in reference to the silky hairs in the seed capsule. The epithet comes from a Spanish derivative name referring to a group of large, tropical trees related to Bombax.

Grow in dry to medium moisture well-drained soils in full sun. In southern Florida, it is best grown with moderate but even applications of moisture to the soil.

Red Silk Cottontree drops its leaves just before flowering and flowers appear when the tree is leafless. New leaves appear after almost all of the flowering is completed. Flowers are followed by seed pods which split open to release to the wind large quantities of silky cotton embedded with small brown seeds.

Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems:

No known diseases or insect pests.