Bombax ceiba

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, 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. 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.

Description

A large tree. It loses its leaves in the dry season. It grows to 20-25 m tall and spreads to 8-15 m wide. The stem is erect. It has buttresses when mature. The trunk and branches are covered with large pyramid shaped spines. The crown is umbrella shaped. The bark is pale ash coloured. It develops cracks along its length with age. The leaves are arranged like fingers on a hand. The leaves are rounded and 30-50 cm across. There are 5-7 leaflets which are elliptical. These are 12-20 cm long. The leaves are bright green and leathery. The trees flower during the dry season when the tree has no leaves. The flowers are red, open or cup shaped and 10-15 cm across. The flowers are often clustered near the ends of branches. The flowers appear while the leaves have fallen from the tree. The flower petals are thickened and curved backwards in the upper half. The fruit is a brown oval capsule. This seed envelope is about 15 cm long. It has 5 angles and many seeds. The seeds are covered with soft, silky cotton.

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Flowers Inner bark Leaves Oil Root Seed Seedpod Edible Uses: Gum Oil Tea Edible portion: Roots, Leaves, Flowers, Fruit, Seeds - oil, Gum. Flowers - cooked or pickled. They are highly valued as a curry vegetable. The flower buds and the calyx of not fully opened flowers are eaten cooked as a vegetable. Flowers are dried and pounded and used for bread also used in five flower tea. Young leaves - cooked and eaten as a vegetable. Ripe seeds are eaten roasted. An edible fatty oil is obtained from the seed. The seeds contain 22-25% oil. Young roots - The taproot is peeled and eaten raw or roasted. Rich in starch. Gum. The buds, young pods and roots of seedling can be eaten cooked. The young bark is used as a famine food.

Traditional Uses

The taproot of young plants is peeled then roasted and eaten. Flowers are cooked as a vegetable or pickled. The flowers are dried and pounded and used for bread. They are also used in five flower tea. The young leaves are boiled with condiments then eaten. The unripe and ripe fruits are cooked as vegetables. The seeds yield an edible fatty oil. The mature roasted seeds are eaten. The buds, young pods and roots of seedling can be eaten cooked. The young bark is used as a famine food. It is crushed and added to flour.

Medicinal Uses

Antipyretic Antitussive Astringent Cholera Demulcent Diuretic Dysentery Hypoglycaemic Hypotensive Leprosy Mouthwash Refrigerant Stings Tonic Urinary The flowers are astringent and refrigerant. They are used to treat cutaneous troubles. The young roots are diuretic and tonic. They are used in the treatment of cholera, tubercular fistula, coughs, urinary complaints, nocturnal pollution, abdominal pain due to dysentery, and impotency. The gum is astringent, demulcent and tonic. It is used in the treatment of dysentery, haemoptysis in pulmonary tuberculosis, influenza and menorrhagia. The leaves are hypotensive and hypoglycaemic. A decotion of the shoots have reputedly been used to treat ulcers of the palate, syphilis, leprosy and spider or snake bites. Combined with the roots of Moghania macrophylla, the fruit of Terminalia chebula and borax, they are used to treat enlarged spleen; they are combined with Capparis zeylanica and Carissa carandas to treat oedema; and with fenugreek to treat corns on the foot. The seedlings have reputed antipyretic activity (when ground with a few leaves of fistula and Semecarpus anacardium). They are combined with Vitis spp. (part not specified) to treat carbuncle; and with Terminalia alata to treat haematuria. The knots or the stem are used on bleeding gums (cooked in mustard oil with the bark of Zyzyphus rugosa and Ichnocarpus frutescens and then eaten). The bark is reputedly used against cholera (usually combined with many other plants), pleurisy, stings and as a diuretic. It is used in bandages for lasting fractures or given in infusion for toothache before visiting the dentist.

Known Hazards

Seed is poisonous if ingested

Distribution

A tropical plant. It grows in tropical monsoonal rainforest. It suits humid locations. It requires an open sunny position. It will grows on most soils. It can grow in limestone areas. It is drought and frost tender. Trees must have a temperature above 13°C. In Nepal plants grow to 1200 m altitude. In the Indian Himalayas it grows between 1,200-1,400 m above sea level. They are found at low altitudes throughout the Philippines. In India they grow in all deciduous forests. It can grow in arid places. It suits hardiness zones 10-12. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Where It Grows

Africa, Andamans, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Central America, China, East Africa, East Timor, Hawaii, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Iraq, Laos, Malaysia, Middle East, Myanmar, Nepal, Northeastern India, NW India, Pacific, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Philippines, SE Asia, Sikkim, Solomon Islands, South America, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, USA, Vietnam, West Indies, West Timor,

Cultivation

It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 28 - 42°c, though it can tolerate 5 - 49°c. It can resist occasional light frosts, with new growth being killed at -1°c, but dormant growth being tolerant down to -3°c. It prefers a mean annual rainfall of 750 - 4,000mm, tolerating 500 - 5,000mm and preferring a distinct dry season. Grows best in a sunny position. Prefers a deep, rich, well-drained soil, but tolerating a wide range of conditions. Established plants are drought tolerant, and can also withstand occasional inundation of the soil. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 6.5, tolerating 4.9 - 7.2. A fast-growing plant, especially when young. The plant can commence flowering when around 8 - 10 years old from seed. The plant produces suckers, especially when young, though they often die after 2 - 3 years, especially as the tree grows older. Young trees can be coppiced, but older trees will often fail to grow back after being cut down. The tree has a thick bark which acts as an insulation and allows it to recover from fires.

Propagation

Seed - sown fresh, without pre-treatment, they have a high germination rate. Some reports suggest germination rates can be improved by pre-soaking the seeds for 12 hours prior to sowing, this is likely to refer to seeds that have dried somewhat. Seeds can be sown in a sunny position, either in situ or in nursery beds. Sprouting takes place in 10 - 25 days. Transplant 5cm tall seedlings to individual containers and plant out 12 months later. Cuttings of half-ripe wood.

Other Uses

Bedding Containers Fibre Gum Insulation Oil Packing Pioneer Soap making String Tannin Waterproofing Wood Other uses rating: High (4/5). Large Flowering Tree, Public Open Spaces, Specimen, Xerophytic. Agroforestry Uses: A fast-growing plant, tolerant of full sun even when small and with a wide range of uses, it can be used as a pioneer when restoring native woodland[ 404 , K ]. It can also be used as a pioneer when establishing a large woodland garden, being able to remain as a canopy tree as the garden matures. Other Uses The seed floss is used as a stuffing material for pillows, cushions etc. It is considered to be vermin-proof. Waterproof and buoyant, it can be used as the filling in life jackets. It is sometimes also as an insulating material in refrigerators etc; can be used as a packing material; and has sound-proofing properties. It is of lower quality than the floss obtained from Ceiba pentandra. A fibre is obtained from the inner bark. It is suitable for cordage. A transparent gum exudes from the bark and sapling root. It is called 'Gum of Malabar'. The gum contains tannins. The gum can be mixed with ashes and castor oil, and is then used as a cement for caulking iron saucepans. An oil obtained from the seed is used to make soap and for illumination etc. It can be used as a substitute for cottonseed oil. The fibrous bark is used for making ropes. The greyish, dark-streaked wood is coarse-textured, straight-grained, light in weight, very soft and pithy. It can be used to make packing cases, toys, matches, pencils etc. Large trunks are often hollowed out to make canoes. The wood has been recommended as a source of cellulose. This plant is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds. Special Uses Attracts Wildlife Carbon Farming Food Forest

Production

It is fast growing. The seeds contain 22-25% oil that is edible. In Sikkim seeds are available April to June.

Other Information

It is not known if it is used for food in Papua New Guinea. The fruit are only occasionally used. The flowers are sold in markets in Nepal.

Notes

There are about 8 Bombax species. It was previously put in the family Bombacaceae. In the subfamily Bombacoideae.

Nutrition

Synonyms

Also Known As

Boichu, Bombax, Booruga, Boorunga, Bouro, Bula, Buroh, Doak-ngew, Edel daru, Edelsong, Gao rung, Gon rung, Guan niu, Hambo, Illavam, Kaanti-senbal, Kadung, Kantakadruma, Kantesavar, Kate savar, Katesawar, Kawl-tung-peng, Kempu-booruga, Kempuburuga, Koki, Kroik, Leptan, Letpan, Mai-nio, Malabulak, Moc mien, Mu mian, Mulilavu, Mullelava, Mullila-pula, Mullilavau, Mullilavu, Mullubooruga, Mu mian yang, Neibie, Ngiew, Ngiu deng, Ngiu pa, Nglo, Ntoo yaj huab, Nuoliu, Pagun, Pan-ya, Panchu, Pemagesar, Pemguyser, Phakong, Pharkong, Pohon kapuk merah, Poola, Pula-maram, Pulai, Rakta-pushpa, Red Silk Cotton tree, Ro-ka, Roktosimul, Salmali, Samar, Samro, Sanar, Saur, Savar, Savri, Sawar, Semal, Semale, Sémul, Senur, Shaimbal, Shembal, Shemolo, Shevari, Shevri, Shimla, Shimul cotton, Simal, Simalo, Simalu, Simbal, Simla, Simlo, Simolu, Simuli, Singi, Syamling, Yi ka bu duo si

References (127)

• Abbasi, A. M., et al, 2013, Ethnobotanical appraisal and cultural values of medicinally important wild edible vegetables of Lesser Himalayas-Pakistan. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 9:66
• Abbasi, A. M., Khan, M & Zafar, M., 2013, Ethno-medicinal assessment of some selected wild edible fruits and vegetables of Lesser-Himalayas, Pakistan. Pak. J. Bot. 45 (SI):215-222 (As Bombax malabaricum)
• Acharya K. P. and Acharya, R., 2010, Eating from the Wild: Indigenous knowledge on wild edible plants in Parroha VDC of Rupandehi District, Central Nepal. International Journal of Social Foresttry. 3(1):28-48
• Ambasta, S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 76
• Aryal, K. P., et al, 2018, Diversity and use of wild and non-cultivated edible plants in the Western Himalaya. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine (2018) 14:10

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