Ceiba pentandra

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prota4u.org

NAME: Ceiba pentandra       

FAMILY: Bombacaceae

COMMON NAMES:   White silk cotton tree,kapok,fuma

LOCAL NAMES:   Araba,egungun,Rimii,Akpu

MORPHORLOGICAL DESCRIPTION:  

Ceiba pentandra is a deciduous, tall tree,  growing to 50 m (164ft) by 30 m (98ft) at a fast rate

USEFUL PART(s): Flowers, leaves, bark,exudate.

GENERAL USES:

  • Tender leaves are eaten like okra

  • Seed is eaten in soups and used as a flavouring

  • Serves as source of fiber and timbers

  • Wood ashes are used as a salt substitute

  • Oil extracted from seed is used for cooking

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION:

Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, northern South America, southern Asia, tropical west Africa

WHY IS IT GREEN?

plantsoftheworldonline.org

plantsoftheworldonline.org

  • Diabetes

  • Fever

  • Gonorrhoea

  • Emollient

  • Syphilis

  • Emetic

  • Astringent

  • Demulcent

  • Asthma

  • Diabetes

  • Menorrhagia  

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

The seed is toxic but the oil is edible

Can serve as an ornamental plant

FUN FACT

The oil has a yellow colour and taste resembling cottonseed oil

Flowers - blanched and eaten with chilli sauce

FURTHER READINGS

Silitonga, A. S., Ong, H. C., Mahlia, T. M. I., Masjuki, H. H., & Chong, W. T. (2013). Characterization and production of Ceiba pentandra biodiesel and its blends. Fuel. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2013.02.014

T. K., L., & Lim, T. K. (2012). Ceiba pentandra. In Edible Medicinal and Non-Medicinal Plants. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-8661-7_72

Zheng, Y., Wang, J., Zhu, Y., & Wang, A. (2015). Research and application of kapok fiber as an absorbing material: A mini review. In Journal of Environmental Sciences (China). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jes.2014.09.026