Bombax ceiba Seeds | Gossampinus Malabarica
LATIN NAME: Bombax ceiba
COMMON NAME: Cotton Tree
Plant Profile
Cotton Tree (Bombax ceiba) grows as a tree in the mallow family. Cotton tree is red silk tree of warm street, and large, red flowers open in bare crown before the leaves. Tall, deciduous tree carries spreading crown of palmately lobed leaves and large, showy, red or crimson flowers with many stamens through late winter and early spring, to be followed by oval capsules of silky, cotton-like floss. Tree is a fine, bold presence of warm street and open garden. The blooms are worked steadily by bees for as long as they are open. Not many plants ask so little and repay so much.
Science & Biotechnology
Research touching on Bombax ceiba ranges from the botany of the mallow family to practical horticulture, including seed handling, propagation and the selection of superior forms. Nothing exotic is required: standard seed-sowing practice, done carefully, is enough.
Uses & Benefits
Beyond its ornamental appeal, Cotton Tree has the practical versatility that makes a plant worth growing from seed year after year. Cotton tree is a fine, bold tree of warm street and open garden. Collect silky floss from split capsules on dry days, and keep seeds of tree for the sowing. To grow cotton tree from seed, sow small, brown seeds a centimetre down in pots of moist, free-draining soil, keep pots in a warm, bright spot and water gently, then set young plants out after the last frosts. Routine care after establishment is refreshingly light.
The red silk-cotton tree is a street-tree icon of southern Asia; its flowers are dried for herbal teas and soups in Cantonese tradition, and the bark has folk records for cooling and skin uses.
Growing from Seed
Starting Cotton Tree from seed is simple and satisfying. Sow thinly on the surface of a loose, well-drained seed compost, cover lightly, water in gently and keep the tray in a sunny spot with even moisture. Once the seedlings have made true leaves, pot them on individually and plant out when they are sturdy and conditions are right.
Our Take
Cotton Tree repays a little patience at sowing time with plenty of garden presence later.
Related Reading
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