James Burghardt
Family
Bombacaceae
Botanical Name
CEIBA pentandra 'Variegata'
Plant Common Name
Variegated Kapok, Variegated Silk Cotton Tree
Special Notice
This entry has yet to be reviewed and approved by L2G editors.
General Description
Impressive in size and muscular in form, variegated kapok has fragrant dull white flowers in late winter followed by white and green foliage. A massive deciduous tree native to South America, it has been cultivated all across the tropics for so long that often it is misleadingly listed as native to Africa, southern Asia or "pantropical". With ages the trunk becomes magnificently buttressed.
In late winter and early spring, while the tree is barren of leaves, the green-gray branches bear five-petaled, waxy, creamy white to light yellow flowers that smell of milk. First opening at night, these pendent clusters of blossoms are pollinated naturally by bats. The boat-shaped fruits that form thereafter are first green and ripen to a felty dark brown, splitting open to reveal the white cotton fiber balls (the "kapok") surrounding the black seeds. From spring to autumn the horizontal branches also are cloaked in large palmate (hand-like) leaves the size of a dinner plate. Each leaf has five to seven oval leaflets that are green with creamy white edges.
Grow kapok in full sun in a spacious location in a fertile, well-draining soil. Water graciously in the growing season but ensure a prolonged dry period in winter. Small branches are somewhat brittle in wind. It is no less than spectacular as a specimen shade tree for parks, large estates or public gardens. There are seemingly two natural forms of this species: one has smooth bark and has creamy white flowers while another has more brownish bark that often retains thorns and produces flowers that are more reddish.
Characteristics
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AHS Heat Zone
12 - 9
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USDA Hardiness Zone
10 - 12
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Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
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Plant Type
Tree
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Sun Exposure
Full Sun
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Height
70'-120' / 21.3m - 36.6m
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Width
40'-60' / 12.2m - 18.3m
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Bloom Time
Late Winter
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Native To
South America
Growing Conditions
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Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
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Soil Drainage
Well Drained
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Soil type
Loam, Sand
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Tolerances
Pollution, Drought, Salt
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Growth Rate
Medium
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Water Requirements
Drought Tolerant, Average Water
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Habit
Oval/Rounded
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Seasonal Interest
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Ornamental Features
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Flower Interest
Showy
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Flower Color
White, Ivory
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Fruit Color
Brown
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Foliage Color (Spring)
White, Green
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Foliage Color (Spring) Modifier
Variegated
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Foliage Color (Summer)
Green, Ivory
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Foliage Color (Summer) Modifier
Variegated
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Foliage Color (Fall)
Green, Ivory
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Foliage Color (Fall) Modifier
Variegated
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Bark Color
Gray Green, Gray
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Fragrant Flowers
Yes
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Fragrant Fruit
No
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Fragrant Foliage
No
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Bark or Stem Fragrant
No
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Flower Petal Number
Single
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Repeat Bloomer
No
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Showy Fruit
Yes
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Edible Fruit
No
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Showy Foliage
Yes
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Foliage Texture
Coarse
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Foliage Sheen
Glossy
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Evergreen
No
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Showy Bark
Yes
