Silk Floss Tree

There are a few trees in the kibbutz that are not native to our area. One of them is the silk floss tree- ceiba speciosa (formerly known as chorisia speciosa). 

The silk floss tree is a deciduous tree native to tropical and sub-tropical forests in South America. 

Because it is drought resistant, this tree fits well to our climate and can survive the long and dry summers without a problem. It's trunk is bottle shaped- much like the baobab tree that belongs to the same family- and it is covered with thick, sharp spikes which deter wild animals from climbing and damaging the tree.

Young trees have a green trunk due to their high chlorophyll content, which makes them capable of performing photosynthesis when leaves are absent. 

With age the trunk turns grey. 

Because of its greyish colour and the spikes our kids call this tree the dinosaur-tree.

The spikes covering the bark are also said to be used as a drip irrigation system where dew will collect on the thorns on the tree, and then will condense into water and drip onto the soil below the tree.

The silk floss tree has beautiful, big flowers that are either pink or creamy-yellow (ceiba chodatii) and they attract humming birds and insect pollinators.

The fruits are big rugby-ball shaped capsules that contain black seeds and a mass of fluffy, white fibers that look similar to cotton or silk. The "cotton" can be used as stuffing for pillows or cold-weather clothing.