| Cotton tree | |
|---|---|
| Cotton tree with only flowers in spring | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Malvales |
| Family: | Malvaceae |
| Genus: | Bombax |
| Species: | B. ceiba |
| Binomial name | |
| Bombax ceiba L. |
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Bombax malabaricum DC. |
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Bombax ceiba, like other trees of the genus Bombax, is commonly known as cotton tree or tree cotton. This 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.
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The tree is widely planted in Malay, Indonesia, south China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. According to Chinese historical record, the king of Nam Yuet, Chiu To, gave a tree to the Emperor of Han dynasty in 2nd century BC.
This tree is commonly known as Semal (Hindi:सेमल) in India. It is widely planted in parks and on roadsides there because of its beautiful red flowers which bloom in March/April. This tree is quite common in New Delhi although it doesn't reach its full size of 60m there because of the semi arid climate. The cotton fibers of this tree can be seen floating in the wind around the time of early may.
This tree shows two marked growth sprints in India- in spring and during the monsoon months.
The cotton inside the fruits was used a substitute for cotton. The flower was a common ingredient in Chinese herb tea.
In Guangdong, the tree is known as muk min (木棉, lit. wood cotton) or hung min (紅棉, lit. red cotton). It is also known as Ying Hung Shue (英雄樹, lit. hero tree), for its straight and tall trunk. It is also called the hero tree in Hong Kong, because it flowers when students are preparing for exams. (You must be the hero.) The tree flower is the flower emblem of Guangzhou and Kaohsiung. Folk knowledge in Hong Kong states that soon after the tree blooms, the weather will get hotter.
The Sanskrit name for this tree is Salmali. In the Rigveda, the chariot is made of Salmali (RV 10.85.20) and other woods.
This tree is referred in the Sikh Scriptural enlightener, Guru Granth Sahib as follows: The semal tree is straight as an arrow; it is very tall, and very thick. But those birds which visit it hopefully, depart disappointed. Its fruits are tasteless, its flowers are nauseating, and its leaves are useless. Sweetness and humility, O Nanak, are the essence of virtue and goodness. Everyone bows down to himself; no one bows down to another. When something is placed on the balancing scale and weighed, the side which descends is heavier. The sinner, like the deer hunter, bows down twice as much. But what can be achieved by bowing the head, when the heart is impure? (470)