Ceiba insignis
(Kunth) P.E.Gibbs & Semir
Malvaceae
A revision of this genus, in 2003, treats Ceiba insignis as an aggregate species made up of Ceiba insignis and the six following species:- Ceiba lupuna; Ceiba speciosa; Ceiba crispiflora; Ceiba ventricosa; Ceiba chodatii; Ceiba pubiflora[
698- Title
- A Taxonomic Revision of the Genus Ceiba
- Publication
- Anales del Jardín Botánico de Madrid 60 (2) pp259 - 300
- Author
- Gibbs P.; Semir J.
- Website
- http://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/fichero_articulo?codigo=762476&orden=78027
- Publisher
- Anales del Jardín Botánico de Madrid
- Year
- 2003
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A new treatment of the genus, which includes species previously in Chorisia. Available as a PDF file on the Internet.
].
Ceiba integrifolia (Ulbr.) Ravenna
Ceiba mythica Ravenna
Chorisia insignis Kunth
Chorisia integrifolia Ulbr.
Common Name:
Tree growing in Israel, showing the typical swollen trunk and its spines. You can just see a few flowers in the crown
Photograph by: avishai teicher
Public domain
Tree growing in Israel, showing the typical swollen trunk and its spines. You can just see a few flowers in the crown
Photograph by: avishai teicher
Public domain
Trunk and canopy of a tree that has obviously been severely cut back in the past
Photograph by: Naevus
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0
Close-up of a flower
Photograph by: Avi1111
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0
Flower and developing fruit
Photograph by: .Bambo.
Flower and leaves
Photograph by: .Bambo.
General Information
Ceiba insignis is a deciduous tree with a dense crown; it can grow up to 15 metres tall[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. The bottle-shaped bole is swollen, it can be up to 2 metres in diameter and is often armed with spines[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
The plant is often harvested from the wild for its many uses, particularly for the floss surrounding the seeds. The tree is also sometimes cultivated for this purpose and is often grown as an ornamental.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
698- Title
- A Taxonomic Revision of the Genus Ceiba
- Publication
- Anales del Jardín Botánico de Madrid 60 (2) pp259 - 300
- Author
- Gibbs P.; Semir J.
- Website
- http://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/fichero_articulo?codigo=762476&orden=78027
- Publisher
- Anales del Jardín Botánico de Madrid
- Year
- 2003
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A new treatment of the genus, which includes species previously in Chorisia. Available as a PDF file on the Internet.
Range
S. America - northern Peru, southern Ecuador.
Habitat
Dry valleys with semi-deciduous woodland[
698- Title
- A Taxonomic Revision of the Genus Ceiba
- Publication
- Anales del Jardín Botánico de Madrid 60 (2) pp259 - 300
- Author
- Gibbs P.; Semir J.
- Website
- http://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/fichero_articulo?codigo=762476&orden=78027
- Publisher
- Anales del Jardín Botánico de Madrid
- Year
- 2003
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A new treatment of the genus, which includes species previously in Chorisia. Available as a PDF file on the Internet.
].
Properties
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Deciduous Tree |
| Height | 12.00 m |
| Pollinators | Bats |
| Self-fertile | No |
| Cultivation Status | Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild |
Cultivation Details
Mature plants can withstand occasional temperatures down to -7°c[
423- Title
- Desert Tropicals
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.desert-tropicals.com/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- The main focus of the site is succulent plants, but it also contains information on a wide range of other species. Usually at least one good photograph, plus basic information about the plant and its cultivation.
]. This report is somewhat questionable, given the plants native range is near the Equator[
K- Title
- Plants for a Future
- Author
- Ken Fern
- Description
- Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
Prefers a sunny position in a fertile, well-drained soil[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
423- Title
- Desert Tropicals
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.desert-tropicals.com/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- The main focus of the site is succulent plants, but it also contains information on a wide range of other species. Usually at least one good photograph, plus basic information about the plant and its cultivation.
].
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
A fibre obtained from the bark is of good quality. It is used to make cloth454, [
549- Title
- Flore Forestiere Du Globe
- Publication
-
- Author
- Chnacerel L.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Gauthier-Villars et Co.; Paris.
- Year
- 1920
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Written in French, a very detailed work on the timbers of the world. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The seed capsules contain a considerable quantity of floss surrounding the seeds. This can be used as a stuffing material in mattresses, cushions etc[
549- Title
- Flore Forestiere Du Globe
- Publication
-
- Author
- Chnacerel L.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Gauthier-Villars et Co.; Paris.
- Year
- 1920
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Written in French, a very detailed work on the timbers of the world. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The white wood is very light, soft, weak and porous. It shrinks and splits considerably when drying. It has been used to replace cork in many of its uses and can also be pulped to make paper[
549- Title
- Flore Forestiere Du Globe
- Publication
-
- Author
- Chnacerel L.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Gauthier-Villars et Co.; Paris.
- Year
- 1920
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Written in French, a very detailed work on the timbers of the world. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. It is also used to manufacture barrels for the carriage of dry goods[
549- Title
- Flore Forestiere Du Globe
- Publication
-
- Author
- Chnacerel L.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Gauthier-Villars et Co.; Paris.
- Year
- 1920
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Written in French, a very detailed work on the timbers of the world. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
Propagation
Seed -
Cuttings of half-ripe wood.
If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.
Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
