A large Shimul (Silk Cotton)

[Kumar]

I saw a beautiful old Silk-Cotton or Shimul tree on Sunday, outside Oval Maidan, - a large public ground near my home. These are a real sight to behold when flowering, although they cause plenty of litter throughout the year.

This one had just finished flowering and was laden with ripe and unripe fruit pods. the pods burst open automatically sometimes while treeborne to exude a mass of sticky white fibre and a few dozen tiny black seed, no larger than mustard.

There were very few mature pods around and I found just one. I intend to collect more seed next month when most of the pods are mature.

[fastfeat]

Kumar--

What pollinates these locally? They never set seed in the US.

[MattyB]

They set seed here in SoCal. Wait a minute, this is different than Chorisia isn't it? If so, sorry, I'm wrong.

[LauraAnu]

Hello Kumar,

Great photos. Do they use the fibers for amything in India or other places?

Laura

[Kumar]

Kumar--

What pollinates these locally? They never set seed in the US.

I don't know really, but the flowers are quite a show, especially as they bloom when the tree is bare. They don't last too long though and are as such not popular with florists. The seeds are quick to germinate. My first batch of six have already doubled in size after 48 hrs in hot water and the emerging root is conspicuous.

Laura, as far as I know the fibres are of no commercial use, particularly so in India where cotton is such an inmportant cash crop. Wikipedia says that the fibres are too short to be spun into cloth

[siafu]

Hi,

Any idea how long they take to bloom from seed?

I have one (Bombax ceiba) that is growing nicely and I am eager to see it bloom.

There are many Ceiba speciosa here but I have yet to see a Bombax ceiba, much less a blooming one...

[bahia]

Birds and especially bats pollinate these in habitat. Outside of where they are actually native, parakeets. lorakeets, etc can pollinate them. Apparently the petals are used for a local soup delicacy in Burma. Anyone know how hardy to cold and winter rains this tree would be in coastal northern California/SF Bay Area conditions? I don't think I've ever seen one planted here.

[siafu]

Hi Bahia,

My Bombax ceiba has experienced three winters (Faro/Algarve/Portugal) in the ground (shallow clay) on a hill with good drainage.

The last two winters were cool and rather rainy but that did not bother it one bit. It drops its leaves at the end of winter

and it is now beginning to push new growth. It is a fast grower and it is about 4 meters.

As an indication, two Delonix regia in the same spot are also starting to wake up. These are more tender and winter

kills the tips of the branches. They do seem to get stronger as they mature.

[smile]

hello all

a few weeks ago I received seeds of this tree

Now look at the photo, s

a few years he is just as big as the picture of kumar.

and I am old and gray

peter