# Silk floss tree (*Ceiba speciosa*) The Silk Floss Tree is a tall and beautiful tree with big, pink flowers. Its trunk is thick and covered in spiky bumps, making it look very unique and special! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Urban areas - **Also known as:** Floss Silk Tree, Kapok Tree ![Silk floss tree](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426626/objects/2169.jpg) ## Appearance The Silk floss tree has a strikingly bottle-shaped green trunk covered in large, conical thorns, making it unique. Its vibrant pink to reddish-purple flowers bloom in fall, contrasting beautifully with its grey-green bark and mature smooth patches. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Malvales - **Family:** Malvaceae - **Genus:** Ceiba ## Interesting facts - Its gigantic flowers burst open at night, attracting thirsty bats and moths! - People sometimes call it the 'Drunken Tree' because of its bulging, lopsided trunk! - The fluffy 'silk' inside its seed pods was once used to make buoyant life jackets! - The tree's trunk is covered in huge, sharp thorns, almost like a dragon's hide! ## Special abilities - **Spiky Armor:** Silk floss tree has a trunk covered in sharp, conical thorns that help it defend against thirsty or hungry animals. - **Water Reservoir:** Silk floss tree can store water in its swollen, bottle-shaped trunk, allowing it to survive long dry periods. - **Wind-Riding Seeds:** Silk floss tree has seeds encased in fluffy silk, which allows them to float on wind currents for dispersal. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 1000-3000 cm - **Spread:** 800-1500 cm - **Flower Size:** 10-15 cm - **Bloom Season:** Fall-winter - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Bat ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Pallas's long-tongued bat (*Glossophaga soricina*) — Visits flowers for nectar at night. - **Pollinates:** [Convolvulus hawkmoth](https://www.snappit.app/explore/convolvulus-hawkmoth) (*Agrius convolvuli*) — Feeds on nectar, helping to spread pollen. - **Shelter:** Rufous-bellied Thrush (*Turdus rufiventris*) — Nests in its branches, seeking protection. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Broadleaf Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/broadleaf-tree): Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates. - [Drought Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/drought-tolerant): Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability. - [Fiber](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fiber): This human use trait identifies species that yield natural fibers, used by humans for textiles, rope, paper, and other manufactured goods. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Spiky/Thorny](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spiky-thorny): Possessing sharp, pointed projections or spines on the body or surface. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Be careful around the spiky trunk and don't climb the tree. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Silk floss tree? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Silk floss tree? 1000-3000 cm ### How wide does Silk floss tree spread? 800-1500 cm ### How big are the flowers on Silk floss tree? 10-15 cm ### When does Silk floss tree bloom? Fall-winter ### Is Silk floss tree edible? No ### Is Silk floss tree toxic? None ### What is Silk floss tree's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Fort Brown](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fort-brown) — US · Historic Site - [La Orotava Acclimatisation Garden, Puerto de la Cruz](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/la-orotava-acclimatisation-garden-puerto-de-la-cruz) — Canarias, ES · Park - [Viera y Clavijo Canary Botanical Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/viera-y-clavijo-canary-botanical-garden) — Canarias, ES · Park - [Flower Park Kagoshima](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/flower-park-kagoshima) — Kyushu, JP · Park - [Jardín del Turia](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/jard-n-del-turia) — Spain, ES · Park [View all places to see Silk floss tree](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/silk-floss-tree) ## Watch - [Play video: Silk floss tree](https://www.snappit.app/videos/silk-floss-tree) - [YouTube](https://youtube.com/watch?v=ZRSWG7wuH9Y) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Silk floss tree: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/silk-floss-tree)