Scientific Name : Chorisia speciosa A. St.-Hil.
Common Name : Silk floss tree, Floss silk tree
Chinese Name : 絲木棉, 美人樹, 美麗異木棉
Family : BOMBACACEAE
Local distribution status : Exotic species
| Origin | South America. |
|---|---|
| Meanings of name | The specific epithet speciosa means 'gorgeous' and refers to its beautiful blossoms. The common name 'Silk floss tree' describes its fruits filled by dense silky wool. |
| Ecology | Silk floss tree is a proper teaching material for studying ecology. First, the trunk is covered with conical prickles which are modified stems for the sake of expelling animals from climbing onto the tree and biting its leaves. In addition, its bulging stem is meticulously designed for water storage and allows the tree to acclimatise to drought seasons in its origin. The flowers are appealing to many pollinators. When the fruits are ripe, the seeds enclosed in silk floss can catch breeze for journeys of miles. |
| Vitality | Silk floss tree grows rapidly and its highly resistant to salinity, drought and wind. |
| Application | Silk floss tree is a superb ornamental tree and imprint an exquisite scenery of landscape with its spectacular blossoms. In addition, its floss is nice to be fillers of pillows, cushions and vests. |
| Silk floss tree, Ceiba pentandra (Kapok Ceiba) and Bombax ceiba (Tree Cotton) |
The trees are the members of Bombacaceae and have been ubiquitously planted as ornamental and shading trees in Hong Kong. Considering their palmate-like leaves and towering heights, the identification work is always beleaguered out of flowering and fruiting periods. There are several tricks for prompt identification in fields. First, the trunk of Kapok Ceiba is rather spiny, and the basal stem of Silk floss tree is distinctively bulging, while Tree Cotton is less spiny without swollen basal stem. About their leaves, Tree Cotton contains the largest leaves, followed by Kapok Ceiba and Silk floss tree. In addition, the leaf margin of Silk floss tree is notably serrate, while the one of Tree Cotton is entire. About their flowers, those of Tree Cotton are scarlet, Kapok Ceiba’s are cream, and Silk floss tree’s are dark red with dark stripes. All their fruits are ellipsoid, but those of Kapok Ceiba are highlighted with tapering apex. |
| Growing habit | Deciduous tree. |
|---|---|
| Height | To 15 m. |
| Stems | Trunk with short spines, bulging basal stem. Bark turns from green to off-white as it matures. |
| Leaves | Leaves palmately compound alternate, spirally arranged on the current branchlets, leaflets 6-7, papery, leaf blade oblong and needle-shaped, margin serrate, middle blade always larger. |
| Flower | Solitary or 2–3 crowded at axils of apical leaves. Petals 5, pink, slightly yellow, adaxially white with dark stripes. |
| Fruit | Capsules ellipsoid, filled by dense silky wool. |
| Flowering period | October to February in Hong Kong. |
| Fruiting period | December to February in Hong Kong. |
Scientific name above is based on Hong Kong Herbarium website : https://www.herbarium.gov.hk/en/hk-plant-database/plant-detail/index.html?pType=species&oID=9961
Scientific names from other databases
— Plants of the World Online : Ceiba speciosa (A.St.-Hil., A.Juss. and Cambess.) Ravenna
— GBIF : Ceiba speciosa (A.St.-Hil., A.Juss. and Cambess.) Ravenna