Ceiba speciosa

Silk-floss tree
Silk-floss tree grows upright with thick, spiky green-barked trunk. Mature trees drop leaves in early fall to reveal big pink hibiscus-like flowers Sept. to January. Bronzy new foliage.
synonyms Chorisia speciosa
height 25–60ft
width 20–40ft
tolerates Drought, Heat, Pots
water
needs		 Low – Moderate
water
info		 Established trees can be drought tolerant, but they’ll want deep, infrequent summer watering at least every couple of weeks for best growth and performance. They prefer well-drained soil; however, they tolerate heavier soils that don’t stay wet.

Trees in hotter, drier climates need more frequent watering.
hardy
to		 27F
exposure Part Sun – Full Sun
indoor
outdoor		 In or Out
drainage In Ground: Cactus Mix, In Ground: Planting Mix, In Pots: Cactus Mix, In Pots: Potting Soil, Tolerates Sandy Soil
fertilizing All Purpose
origin Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, S. Brazil
california
native		 No
sunset
zones		 13, 15–H2

Sunset Zones Map

Growing Notes

Regular applications of balanced fertilizer will significantly speed growth, along with infrequent, deep soakings. This plant likes its food.
Trees may produce several flushes of foliage each year, interspersed with brief deciduous periods. Where best-adapted (Southern California, especially warmer valley areas), trees will become completely leafless when blooming and keep a full canopy of greenery most of the rest of the year.
In Central California and the Bay Area, best flowering and speediest growth occur where summer days regularly reach 70F or warmer, like Oakland, San Rafael, San Mateo, Fremont, and San Jose.
Thick surface roots can cause problems around street-tree wells or within 15 feet of paving. Not a good choice for an urban sidewalk.
Shade-grown trees won’t bloom until their crowns reach the height at which they get full sun, but they can develop a more conical form on the way there. Honestly, it’s best to plant this tree in full sun.

Special Interest

Its habit of vivid (some might say garish) fall blooming sets this tree apart and marks the beginning of fall, especially in Southern California, where it is widely planted and visible from a distance.

Large, football-shaped fruits burst open from winter into spring to release “silk-floss” attached to seeds. This fluffy material enables seeds to drift on the breeze.

In all seasons, the trunk of this tree draws attention with its thick, wine-bottle shape and green bark studded with sharp, conical spines. The form really shines when the tree is leafless after flowering, its branches carrying oversize hanging fruits and its apple-green core radiating vitality in fall sunshine.

More Info

The nationwide champion tree grows at the Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles and reaches 90 feet high.
A related white-flowered species, Ceiba insignis, sports an even fatter, more picturesque trunk and a creamy, cool-toned display in bloom.
Trees in marginal zones such as Central California coastal valleys have been damaged and killed in extraordinary freezes such as those of 1990 and 1972.