Everything about Kapok totally explained
Kapok (
Ceiba pentandra) is a tropical
tree of the
order Malvales and the
family Malvaceae (previously separated in the family
Bombacaceae), native to
Mexico,
Central America and the
Caribbean, northern
South America, and (as the variety
C. pentandra var.
guineensis) to tropical west
Africa. The word is also used for the
fibre obtained from its
seed pods. The tree is also known as the Java cotton, Java kapok, or
ceiba. It is a sacred symbol in
Maya mythology.
The tree grows to 60-70 m (200-230 ft) tall and has a very substantial trunk up to 3 m (10 ft) in diameter with buttresses. The trunk and many of the larger branches are densely crowded with very large, robust simple
thorns. The
leaves are compound of 5 to 9 leaflets, each up to 20 cm (8 in) and palm like. Adult trees produce several hundred 15 cm (6 in) seed pods. The pods contain seeds surrounded by a fluffy, yellowish fiber that's a mix of
lignin and
cellulose.
Uses
The fibre is light, very
buoyant, resilient, highly
flammable and resistant to
water. The process of harvesting and separating the fibre is labour-intensive and manual. It can't be
spun but is used as an alternative to
down as filling in
mattresses,
pillows,
upholstery,
teddy bears,
zafus and for
insulation. It was previously much used in
life jackets and similar devices. The fibre has been largely replaced by man-made materials. The seeds produce an
oil used locally in
soap and that can be used as
fertilizer.
In
Southeast Asian countries kapok has larger seed pods and the fibre which is highly flammable is used as a fuel in fire pistons, in
Thailand called taban fai
ตะบันไฟ
.
The commercial tree is most heavily cultivated in
Asia, notably in
Java (hence its nicknames),
Philippines, and
Malaysia, but also in South America.
A similar fibre is found in the Indian
Bombax ceiba (also known as
Bombax malabaricum or "silk-cotton tree"). It is termed Indian kapok and is darker in colour and less buoyant than the true variety.
Another species, the Kapok Bush
Aerva javanica, produces a material that's used for stuffing pillows.
This tree is the official national tree of
Puerto Rico.
Ethnomedical uses
Ceiba pentandra bark
decoction has been used as a
diuretic,
aphrodisiac, and to treat headache, as well as
type II diabetes.
Ceiba pentandra is used as an additive to some versions of the hallucinogenic drink
Ayahuasca.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Kapok'.
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