Water
Water thoroughly when the top 5-10 cm of soil is dry. Reduce watering in cooler months. Ensure good drainage to prevent waterlogged roots, as Kapok dislikes consistently wet conditions. Overwatering can lead to root rot.
Also known as Cotton · Cotton Silk Tree · Cotton Tree
Kapok (Ceiba pentandra) is a massive, fast-growing tropical tree known for its buttress roots, distinctive spiny trunk, and silky, cotton-like fiber from its seed pods.
At-a-glance light, water, soil, and growing conditions from plant data
Full Sun
100% intensity
Prefers bright, direct sunlight for optimal growth and flowering.
Moderate
50% intensity
Allow soil to dry slightly between waterings. Ensure excellent drainage.
Loamy, Sandy, Well-drained
50% intensity
Warm
75% intensity
Prefers temperatures between 20-30°C. Protect from frost.
Moderate
50% intensity
Feed during the growing season with a balanced liquid fertilizer.
Safety information from plant toxicity data
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Toxic for humans | No 0/5 intensity |
| Toxic for pets | No 0/5 intensity |
Non-toxic
Key traits and growing stats from plant data
Watering, pruning, propagation, and repotting details from plant data
Water thoroughly when the top 5-10 cm of soil is dry. Reduce watering in cooler months. Ensure good drainage to prevent waterlogged roots, as Kapok dislikes consistently wet conditions. Overwatering can lead to root rot.
Prune to maintain desired shape and size, or to remove dead or crossing branches. This is best done in late winter or early spring before new growth begins. Heavy pruning is generally not required for mature trees.
Kapok is typically propagated from seeds sown in warm, moist conditions. Cuttings can also be taken from mature branches, but germination from seed is more common and generally more successful.
Young plants may need repotting annually or every two years into a slightly larger container. Mature trees in their native habitat are very large and not typically repotted. Ensure the new pot has excellent drainage.
Identify plants like this with ePlant AI
Snap a photo to get care tips and match similar species on the go.
Monthly activity intensity for bloom and fruit across both hemispheres.
Flowering & fruiting calendar
Flowering & fruiting calendar
Photos of Kapok (Ceiba pentandra)
Common names and botanical synonyms
Botanical classification
| Rank | Name |
|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae |
| Division | Tracheophyta |
| Class | Magnoliopsida |
| Order | Malvales |
| Family | Malvaceae |
| Genus | Ceiba |
| Species | Ceiba pentandra |
Similar in genus Ceiba
Answers based on plant encyclopedia data