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Mexican Cotton Gossypium hirsutum

Other Common Name(s):

Phonetic Spelling
gu-SIP-ee-um her-SOO-tum
Description

Upland Cotton is the most commonly planted agricultural cotton and provides 90% of the world's needs. Cotton-seed oil is obtained from the seeds and used in various cooking products as margarine and cooking oils. 

Upland Cotton is an annual to perennial subshrub in the mallow family and can be variable in the way it grows. It usually reaches around 5 feet tall with two kinds of branches, with the fruiting branches producing the flowers and fruits. The large yellow or white cup-shaped flowers appear in July and are followed by the cotton boll which contains the fibers and seeds.

It can tolerate a range of well-drained soils including moderate salt levels. It is grown in full sun and generally cultivated as an annual.

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
'Burgandy'
Tags:
#showy flowers#full sun tolerant#white flowers#shrub#yellow flowers#salt tolerant#summer flowers#perennial#annual
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
'Burgandy'
Tags:
#showy flowers#full sun tolerant#white flowers#shrub#yellow flowers#salt tolerant#summer flowers#perennial#annual
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Gossypium
    Species:
    hirsutum
    Family:
    Malvaceae
    Uses (Ethnobotany):
    The plant has been used in herbal medicine
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    North America, South America
    Distribution:
    AL , FL , HI , IL , LA , MA , MD , MO , MS , NC , NJ , PA , SC , TX , VA
    Edibility:
    The seeds can be eaten only if cooked
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Annual
    Perennial
    Habit/Form:
    Multi-stemmed
    Growth Rate:
    Medium
    Maintenance:
    High
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Soil Texture:
    Clay
    Loam (Silt)
    Sand
    Soil pH:
    Neutral (6.0-8.0)
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Moist
    Occasionally Dry
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Green
    Fruit Type:
    Capsule
    Fruit Length:
    1-3 inches
    Fruit Width:
    1-3 inches
    Fruit Description:
    1.5-2.5 inch round light green capsule that matures to brown. Around 36 seeds inside with both long and short fibers. It is called a cotton boll.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    White
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Head
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Showy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Summer
    Flower Shape:
    Cup
    Flower Petals:
    4-5 petals/rays
    Flower Size:
    1-3 inches
    Flower Description:
    6-8 large white or yellow cup-shaped flowers with 5 petals on fertile branches.
  • Leaves:
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Leaf Shape:
    Cordate
    Leaf Margin:
    Lobed
    Hairs Present:
    Yes
    Leaf Length:
    3-6 inches
    Leaf Width:
    3-6 inches
    Leaf Description:
    Green leaves are cordate and alternate with 3-5 lobes and 3-6 inches long and wide.
  • Stem:
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No