Bombax CEIBA

Bombax CEIBA - Red silk-cotton tree, Kapok tree, Bombax ceiba.

Bombax is a plant genus in the mallow family (Malvaceae), comprising 8 species native to the Old World tropics. They are tall deciduous trees with long-petioled, palmately compound leaves. The flowers are large, mostly solitary or in clusters, pollinated by birds or bats. The stamens are numerous. The fruit is an oblong capsule.

Bombax ceiba grows on average up to 20 m (66 ft), while mature trees reach 60 m (197 ft) in humid tropical regions. The trunk and large branches bear numerous conical spines, especially at a young age, which erode with maturity. The leaves are palmate with about 6 leaflets radiating from a central point (the tip of the petiole), averaging 7-10 cm (2.8-3.9 in) wide and 13-15 cm (5.1-5.9 in) long. The long flexible leaf petiole reaches up to 20 cm (7.9 in) in length.

The cup-shaped flowers, solitary or clustered, axillary or subterminal, appear in bundles at or near the ends of branches when the tree is leafless, averaging 7-11 cm (2.8-4.3 in) in width, up to 14 cm (5.5 in) across, with pedicels up to 12 cm (4.7 in) long, and a cup-like calyx, usually three-lobed, averaging 3-5 cm (1.2-2.0 in) in diameter. The staminal tube is short, with over 60 stamens arranged in 5 bundles. The stigma is light red, up to 9 cm (3.5 in) long, the ovary is pink, 1.5-2 cm (0.6-0.8 in) long, with the ovary wall covered in white silky hairs 1 mm (0.04 in) long. The seeds are numerous, long, ovate, black or gray, encased in white silky cotton. The fruits, which average 13 cm (5.1 in) in length, are light green when immature and turn brown when ripe.

Seeds require soaking in warm water for 6-12 hours, followed by sowing into a loose nutritious substrate. The container with the sowings is covered with film or glass.

© Greeniverse. All rights reserved.

Indoors, the plant is placed in a bright spot; the tree prefers bright lighting but will also adapt to partial shade. With the onset of spring, it is moved outdoors into the garden and returned to its former place in the home in autumn. If the plant sheds its leaves, it is moved to a darker room. Temperatures during the summer months should be warm, up to 28-30 °C (82-86 °F). In winter, it is kept in rooms with temperatures not lower than 15 °C (59 °F).

Watering plays an essential role in care. In early spring, prior to and during flowering, it should be moderate, and from May to October, generous. During dormancy, the plant is watered 1-2 times a week, preventing the root ball from completely drying out. In sultry summer weather, it responds gratefully to misting. Fertilizing is carried out once a month with a weakly concentrated solution of mineral fertilizers.

For planting, a deep flower container is selected, as in nature it is a tree with a powerful root system. The substrate must be fertile and air-permeable; in growing practice, commercial potting mixes for cacti have performed well, to which it is advisable to add fine crushed brick or increase the sand content. Repotting frequency for an adult plant is once every 2-3 years. Young specimens are repotted annually before flowering or after it ends.