Huge tree up to 70 metres tall, but with only a few strong branches in the upper part. The trunk is silvery grey and dark green in colour and forms buttress roots with age. Young trunks and branches often carry prickles. The leaves are shiny, digitately lobed with lanceolate leaflets up to 20 cm long. The flowers are white to pink and produce yellowish oval capsules with five valves that contain the kapok – white, downy seed hair and black seeds.
As it is a good insulator for heat and sound, the water-repellent kapok is commonly used as wadding for life belts and buoyancy aids, as well as for insulation and stuffing materials.
With its unusual growth form and young, prickly bark, the kapok tree at the Tropenhaus is very eye-catching. So far we have not had any capsules on the kapok tree, only a few flowers.
South Mexico to Bolivia and West Africa
Tropenhaus Wolhusen
As it is a good insulator for heat and sound, the water-repellent kapok is commonly used as wadding for life belts and buoyancy aids, as well as for insulation and stuffing materials.
With its unusual growth form and young, prickly bark, the kapok tree at the Tropenhaus is very eye-catching. So far we have not had any capsules on the kapok tree, only a few flowers.
