Ceiba Pentandra

This unusual specimen can finally grow into a tall, deciduous tree bearing large, short, sharp prickles all along the branches, and also on the trunk which has a pronounced buttress at the base. The leaves drop off in the dry season, and it is leafless for a long period, allowing the glorious array of large and beautifully-marked pink flowers to display to their best. The large Kapok seed pods contain the fibrous fluff which has been used since early times for a large variety of uses.