| Bombax ceiba | |
|---|---|
| |
| Blooming Bombax Ceiba tree in Hong Kong | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Malvales |
| Family: | Malvaceae |
| Genus: | Bombax |
| Species: | B. ceiba
|
| Binomial name | |
| Bombax ceiba | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
Bombax ceiba, like other trees of the genus Bombax, is commonly known as cotton tree. More specifically, it is sometimes known as Malabar silk-cotton tree; red silk-cotton; red cotton tree; or ambiguously as silk-cotton or kapok,[3] both of which may also refer to Ceiba pentandra.
This Asian tropical tree has a straight tall trunk and its leaves are deciduous in winter. Red flowers with 5 petals appear in the spring before the new foliage.[4] It produces a capsule which, when ripe, contains white fibres like cotton. Its trunk bears spikes to deter attacks by animals. Although its stout trunk suggests that it is useful for timber, its wood is too soft to be very useful.
- ^ Barstow, M. (2020). "Bombax ceiba". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T61781914A61781917. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
- ^ "TPL, treatment of Bombax ceiba L." The Plant List; Version 1. (published on the internet). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanical Garden. 2010. Retrieved 23 August 2013.
- ^ Brown, Stephen H. (2011). "Red Silk-Cotton; Red Cotton Tree; Kapok" (PDF). Gardening Publications A-Z. University of Florida.
- ^ "Shimul". Banglapedia. Retrieved 2017-08-13.