Fauna
Flower

Silk Floss Tree

Ceiba speciosa

Also known as Floss Silk Tree, Palo Borracho, Paineira, Toborochi

Silk floss trees command attention with bottle-shaped green trunks studded in stout conical spines that store water through extended droughts. During late summer and autumn, bare or lightly leafed branches erupt into large, hibiscus-like blossoms of creamy ivory and magenta that attract hummingbirds and monarch butterflies. As the blooming ends, heavy woody capsules rupture to release drifts of silky white fibers carrying tiny wind-borne seeds.

DeciduousFloweringDrought-tolerant
Silk Floss Tree reference
no rights reserved, uploaded by Agnes Trekker · cc0
—observations
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyPhotosynthetic (autotroph)
Predators
  • Stem-boring beetles
  • Scale insects
  • Spider mites
ThreatsDeforestation, land clearing for cattle ranching, and extreme freezing events
HabitatsTropical and subtropical dry forests, scrublands, riverbanks, and urban parks
Life span60–100 years
Classification
  1. OrderMalvales
  2. FamilyMalvaceae
  3. GenusCeiba
  4. SpeciesCeiba speciosa
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Sharp, conical prickles coat the trunk; avoid touching or climbing the tree.
Responsible observation
  • Trunk Caution: Keep hands and climbing gear away from the sharp, thick spines studding the bark.
  • Best Viewing: Visit during late summer through mid-autumn to see the crown smothered in pink blossoms.
  • Seed Silk: Watch for splitting green pods in spring as cotton-like fluffs disperse across the ground.
Related species
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