Bombax ceiba seed pod

[Alan_Tampa]

After flowering  for about a decade, my big red kapok has set a few pods. Long ago Fastfeet had said this was rare. Here is a terrible picture of the pods .

[Silas_Sancona]

Alan,  as you had mentioned, I was also under the assumption that this species rarely ( if at all) developed seed pods or set fertile seed in the US. 

After visiting the huge specimens on the former Bradenton Herald property fairly often,  both during and after flowering, and taking note of pods on other trees around St. Pete, Sarasota, as well as on a few smaller trees near where I used to live in Bradenton, there is little doubt that they do indeed form, albeit after a certain age/size. Adding to that, the dozen or so seedlings I have ( that seem to be handling a desert climate well thus far) were collected from beneath the trees at the Bradenton Herald site.  I missed an opportunity to obtain seed from an orange -flowering tree .. one of the smaller specimens i noted near where I lived back there ( near the IMG Campus)

I will say that the bigger trees I noted as setting / dispersing seed create a lot of artificial snow, lol as the pods open. "Fluffy stuff"  around the seeds is really soft, can see why it was used to stuff pillows/ life jackets, etc in the past. 

 

-Nathan

[Loxahatchee Adam]

I hear people say that Bombax ceiba aren't known to set seed in FL, but I've see them around and 2 of my trees here (one red, one orange) have both set a pod or two last year.  They are only maybe 8 years old and 30 ft tall (they were transplanted, so slower growth).  One of the trees at Flamingo Gardens had probably 1,000 pods on it when I was there a few weeks ago.  That tree has very cool yellow-orange/white-red stripe flowers.  I've also seen groups of them planted together where none set any pods.

It's somewhat random with the Kapoks also.    My largest (pink flowers) set none (sadly).  A large-flower white tree set none.  Then one of the 4 regular white ones set around 100, while the others didn't.

[Alan_Tampa]

I should mention that the subject tree was collected as a volunteer from Sarasota Jungle Gardens in the mid 1990's. 

That's part of why I found it neat that it also set a few pods like it's parent. 

[annafl]

Don't know if the Ceiba speciosa (not pentandra) gets pods more easily.  Mine in Sarasota has thirteen pods on it this year and the fluff is flying around presently.  This is the most it's ever had.  Does anyone know what the pollinator is for either/both?  I once heard it was hummingbirds?  I don't know if you can appreciate any of the pods from this photo.  Some are open displaying the fluff, others are still closed.

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

I accidentally stepped on a root covered with leaves which stabbed through the sole of my shoe while visiting the FSU botanical garden a few years ago.  It was right next to their acrocomia. I didn't hate this tree until that happened.

[Alan_Tampa]

[Alan_Tampa]

Found four open/semi open pods on the ground today. 

[fastfeat]

Very cool that you got some pods! And not so many that you've got a mess to clean up...

The general consensus is that most Malvaceae are self-incompatible, but perhaps a few do get selfed. Or there is another tree nearby to supply different pollen. I suspect that some of the lack of fruit set in US is also due to the correct pollinators. Yes, we have birds, bees, bats, but not the same ones that are where the tree is native. Their efficacy is doubtfully as good as ones which evolved with the tree. 

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/237321286_Pollination_biology_in_Bombax_ceiba_Linn

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=14&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwi0o5u0zLjTAhUj64MKHS6yDA0QFghtMA0&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jstage.jst.go.jp%2Farticle%2Fosj%2F4%2F1%2F4_1_81%2F_article&usg=AFQjCNHo4vdLPi6S_SAtmA7B88Vv6qfLCA&sig2=jjNSePOBpIq07N0oYduQRA

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=5&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwi0o5u0zLjTAhUj64MKHS6yDA0QFghJMAQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Flee.ifas.ufl.edu%2FHort%2FGardenPubsAZ%2FBombaxCeibaRedSilkCottonTree.pdf&usg=AFQjCNGRRrm-Sr4Bj3M6yqLri46GOmNGLw&sig2=0KznkC8C-RJ9XnOf2Q8L3Q

[fastfeat]

On 3/27/2017, 3:03:42, Loxahatchee Adam said:

I hear people say that Bombax ceiba aren't known to set seed in FL, but I've see them around and 2 of my trees here (one red, one orange) have both set a pod or two last year.  They are only maybe 8 years old and 30 ft tall (they were transplanted, so slower growth).  One of the trees at Flamingo Gardens had probably 1,000 pods on it when I was there a few weeks ago.  That tree has very cool yellow-orange/white-red stripe flowers.  I've also seen groups of them planted together where none set any pods.

It's somewhat random with the Kapoks also.    My largest (pink flowers) set none (sadly).  A large-flower white tree set none.  Then one of the 4 regular white ones set around 100, while the others didn't.

Interesting. Will have to check out the Flamingo tree when I get into town this week...