Silk Floss Tree - 10 Seeds
$5.00
sold out
The Silk Floss Tree (Ceiba speciosa) is native to the tropical and subtropical forests of South America - in Bolivia it is called toborochi, meaning "tree of refuge" or " sheltering tree." It grows very well here on Mulberry Lane Farm in southern California and here we just call it Beautiful and a Little Dangerous! Beautiful flowers and Dangerous Trunk. The trunk of our Silk Floss Tree is covered with thorns - you can see them in the picture! Now I have to say that our two tree-climbing farm cats, as goofy as they are in other aspects of life, are astute enough to never have attempted an adventure up this tree!
This deciduous tree bears lovely pink flowers followed by a woody pear-shaped pod containing the silky floss in which the little seeds are embedded. The cotton inside the seed pods has been used as stuffing in pillows and life jackets.
This tree grows pretty fast when young, and slows down as it matures and it is a beautiful shade provider. The tree's growth can be curtailed when used as a container plant or bonsai. Planted outside the Silk Floss Tree is hardy in zones 9-11 and can withstand temperatures down to 20F. It can be planted in full to part sun in well drained, moist, fertile soil.
These seeds do best when sown in spring to early summer.
Planting Instructions:
1. Place the seeds in almost boiling water in a bowl and submerge them in the water. Leave the seeds overnight to scarify and improve their germination rate.
2. Plant the freshly treated seeds in a sand/potting soil mixture in a seed starter tray that has a cover, one seed per cell. Plant seeds approximately 1 inch deep and cover them with the soil mixture and water lightly. Put the cover on and keep in a warm place to encourage germination. Keep the soil damp but not wet.
3. Check the seeds in two to three weeks. After the seedlings have three to four leaves on them, transplant to a bigger pot.
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100% of the proceeds from every purchase made in our Bright Horizon Etsy shop goes to the Upside of Downs, a 501(c)3 nonprofit charitable organization supporting the Up on the Farm program - an agriculture hands-on, hearts-in education endeavor for the differently-abled adults in Ventura County, California. Your purchase is what keeps our program alive and thriving and we so appreciate your support and thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your generosity!
This deciduous tree bears lovely pink flowers followed by a woody pear-shaped pod containing the silky floss in which the little seeds are embedded. The cotton inside the seed pods has been used as stuffing in pillows and life jackets.
This tree grows pretty fast when young, and slows down as it matures and it is a beautiful shade provider. The tree's growth can be curtailed when used as a container plant or bonsai. Planted outside the Silk Floss Tree is hardy in zones 9-11 and can withstand temperatures down to 20F. It can be planted in full to part sun in well drained, moist, fertile soil.
These seeds do best when sown in spring to early summer.
Planting Instructions:
1. Place the seeds in almost boiling water in a bowl and submerge them in the water. Leave the seeds overnight to scarify and improve their germination rate.
2. Plant the freshly treated seeds in a sand/potting soil mixture in a seed starter tray that has a cover, one seed per cell. Plant seeds approximately 1 inch deep and cover them with the soil mixture and water lightly. Put the cover on and keep in a warm place to encourage germination. Keep the soil damp but not wet.
3. Check the seeds in two to three weeks. After the seedlings have three to four leaves on them, transplant to a bigger pot.
************************************************************************************************************************************
100% of the proceeds from every purchase made in our Bright Horizon Etsy shop goes to the Upside of Downs, a 501(c)3 nonprofit charitable organization supporting the Up on the Farm program - an agriculture hands-on, hearts-in education endeavor for the differently-abled adults in Ventura County, California. Your purchase is what keeps our program alive and thriving and we so appreciate your support and thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your generosity!