Hawaiian Silk Cotton Tree Facts
Hawaiian silk cotton trees (Cochlospermum gillivraei), also called silk cotton trees and kapok trees, grow in Hawaii and other regions with similar climates. They are not, however, native to Hawaii, despite their strong association with the state. They produce yellow or orange flowers, and their seeds contain cotton and silk-like fibers. Does this Spark an idea?
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History
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Silk cotton trees come from Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Asia, parts of Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America and South America. According to the U.S. National Arboretum, people planted silk cotton trees in other tropical climates, including Hawaii. Originally called the kapok tree, it produces seeds or fruit full of white fibers that look like silk or cotton. As the trees became more prevalent in Hawaii, they also took on the name Hawaiian silk cotton tree.
Uses
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According to the U.S. National Arboretum, the Navy used the Hawaiian silk cotton trees' fibers in the early 1900s to stuff life preservers, cushions and mattresses. The Navy stopped using the fibers, however, after discovering they were too flammable. People have used the trees' trunks for dugout canoes and the wood for pulpwood.
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Appearance
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The Hawaiian silk cotton tree grows up to 200 feet tall. According to James Cook University in Australia, the trees' flowers are large and yellow, with five petals up to 2 inches long and many stamens. The seeds are in large brown or green pods and surrounded by a layer of fiber. The trees have gray bark, and their leaves are either deeply lobed or palmately lobed.
Growth
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The Hawaiian silk cotton tree is deciduous during dry seasons. Before the new leaves appear, the tree flowers, producing the seed pods. The trees can survive in a variety of tropical environments, including open forests, dry scrubs and on rocky ridges.
Culture
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The kapok tree is the state tree of Puerto Rico, one of its native locations. It is also the focus of a popular children's book called "The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest", by Lynne Cherry, and is used in many school curricula. Since the tree grows well in Hawaii and is so prevalent there, many people associate the tree with Hawaiian culture. According to the National Science Foundation, kapok trees are also part of the Buddhist culture, and some Buddhists celebrate the trees in their temples.
Research
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The National Science Foundation found out that the tree's seeds spread to rain forests on multiple continents through the ocean, as well as being transported by humans. Research is helping scientists discover similarities between different rain forests and learn more about how tree seeds spread.
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References
- Photo Credit red silk cotton flower image by Yali Shi from Fotolia.com
