Family: Bombacaceae
Species: Ceiba speciosa L.
Common name: Bottle tree, False kapok
Description
C. speciosa is a succulent plant of the Bombacaceae family that absorbs moisture from the soil and stores it for use during periods of drought. The main characteristic of C. speciosa is its rather stocky, swollen, rounded trunk at the base, where the plant stores liquid. Moreover, on the trunk, it bears large conical thorns—a natural defence for its water reserve and a deterrent to wild animals attempting to climb.
It has palmate compound leaves with a long petiole, alternate and bright green. Each leaf comprises 5–7 glabrous leaflets that fall in winter. The crown is broad and rounded.
The hermaphrodite flowers are large, showy, and funnel-shaped, with pink or red petals on the upper part, streaked with yellowish-brown on the lower. It blooms towards late summer and finishes around November/December. The nectar produced by these flowers attracts butterflies and hummingbirds.
The seeds are enclosed in white fluff inside green-brown, pear-shaped fruits. This cotton-like substance gradually dissolves as the wind carries the seeds away.
Habitat
The species is found in Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay, but it is above all Argentina—where it is known as palo borrach(“drunken tree”)—that abounds in these curious trees.
It was introduced into Italy at the end of the 19th century at the botanical garden of Palermo, from where it spread as an ornamental plant.
Properties and Uses
The downy substance surrounding the fruit’s seeds is similar to cotton and is called “false kapok.” In ancient times, it was used to make life jackets. This fibre has the highest buoyancy power among natural materials and is still employed for stuffing cushions and making insulating panels.
The wood obtained from the trunk of C. speciosa is white, porous, and very light, and can be used as a substitute for cork.
Notes and Curiosities
Many consider it a tree because of its imposing size at maturity. It can reach a height of 15–19 metres.
It is famous for its beauty and several peculiarities. Besides its unusual appearance—due in part to the many thorns scattered on the trunk—this plant captivates viewers with its showy flowers, which bloom at the end of summer in all shades of pink, from pale to bright.
Furthermore, when the plant is young, it has a green trunk, which later becomes grey; a young C. speciosa does not have sufficient leaves to conduct photosynthesis, so the trunk performs this function.
In Europe, its beauty has made it a popular ornamental plant, especially in areas with mild winters. Its introduction to Italy dates back to the late 1800s at the botanical garden of Palermo, and from there, it spread to various regions.
Here in the Heller garden, it can be seen in the cold greenhouse because protecting young plants during winter is essential. In fact, temperatures below -2 or -3 C° can be hazardous to juveniles. Adult specimens, however, are more cold-resistant and can tolerate minimum temperatures of -7 or -8°C.