Full Sun
Moderate care
Moderate watering
Frost Hardy
9a
USDA zone
-7°C
Minimum temperature
Expected size
Height | Spread | |
|---|---|---|
20m | Max | 10m |
5m | Min | 5m |
3 years to reach maturity
Flowering
spring
summer
autumn
winter
This plant has no fragrance
Silk Floss Tree Overview
Considered one of the most beautiful trees in the world, when in full bloom, this spectacular tree is hard to miss with its clouds of large, flimsy lily-like pink flowers cascading from the green branches. Often grown in subtropical areas in gardens or as street trees.
Common problems with Silk Floss Tree
Young plants are susceptible to scale insects, keep the plants healthy to prevent attached by scale insects.
Silk Floss Tree Companion Plants
Under-plant with sub-tropical, shade loving plants.
How to harvest Silk Floss Tree
Generally not harvested
How to propagate Silk Floss Tree
Seed
Sow seeds when temperatures warm up in late spring and early summer.
Special features of Silk Floss Tree
Autumn colour
The tree flowers in autumn.
Drought resistant
Can go for long periods without water once it is established and more than 3 to 5 years old.
Attracts birds
Hummingbirds are attracted to the flower nectar.
Attracts useful insects
The flowers attract pollinators like bees.
Other uses of Silk Floss Tree
Ornamental foliage & flowers
Timber, paper, rope and stuffing.
The cotton inside the capsules, although not of as good quality as that of the kapok tree, has been used as stuffing. The wood can be used to make canoes, as wood pulp, and to make paper. The bark has been used to make ropes.
Edible
From the seeds it is possible to obtain vegetable oil (both edible and industrially useful).
Ornamental
Mostly for ornamental purposes. Outside of private gardens around the world, it is often planted along urban streets in subtropical areas such as in Spain, South Africa, Australia, northern New Zealand and the southern USA, although its prickled trunks and limbs require safety buffer zones, especially around the trunks, in order to protect people and domesticated animals from its prickles.
