This plant is one of the most famous for its vitality and beauty. It has become widespread on many continents, in many sunny warm countries.
This article will present an amazing and unusual ceiba plant (tree). Where it grows and what it is, you can find out by reading a short story about it below.
It is also known under other names: cotton tree, sumauma, kapok, five-stamen ceiba. It should be noted that the name of kapok is also given to its fiber, which is found in the ripened fruit of this unique tree.
Ceiba tree: description
A total of 17 species of ceiba are known, naturally growing in tropical areas of West Africa and America. Of these, 2 species are most common in the world: magnificent ceiba and chorizia.
Ceiba is a variety of baobab. The tree grows to a height of about 60-70 meters. Its trunk is very wide with well-developed buttresses. In the most thickened lower part of itaccumulate large volumes of moisture consumed during dry seasons.
Leaves are palmately complex in shape, consisting of 5-9 leaflets (length 20 cm). They are very similar to palm leaves. Mature trees produce up to several hundred large fruits (15 cm) - drop-down boxes with seeds. The walls of the boxes from the inside are covered with shiny fluffy silky hairs, reminiscent of cotton in structure. They are a mixture of cellulose and lignin. Harvesting by hand is a labor intensive process.
Ceiba is a tree (see photo below), which has a special feature. The trunk of the plant and branches are abundantly covered with prickly large thorns of a conical shape. There are also specimens of ceiba without spines.
Distribution
The plant is widespread in Brazil, Mexico, West Africa and Indochina. Ceiba and La Ceiba, respectively, are named after this sacred tree in Costa Rica and Honduras.
As a tree of life, it represents the official symbol of the State of Guatemala. Ceiba also grows in Israel, where it came not without human help. In this country there is one of the most beautiful species of this plant, the height of which is relatively small - it does not exceed 25 m. The lower part of an adult tree has a diameter of about 2 meters, and its growths and bulges contain reserves of the same water.
It is believed that the ceiba (tree) was first domesticated in Africa (western part). Then it spread to its Eastern part and to Asia.
Believe and legends
The plant is sacred for many nations.
Ceiba is a tree considered a symbol of life among the Mayan peoples. It, according to the legend of the Indians, consists of the underground, middle and upper worlds. For them, this is the world tree, standing in the very center of the Earth. The gods sit on its upper branches, communicating and observing the life of people. If their mood is good and inviting, they may even seem to the eyes of mere mortals.
This tree also represents the axis of the world. One ancient belief claims that the stem of the ceiba represents the world of people, and the roots are the realm of the dead. The branches of the plant are the path of the souls of the dead to heaven.
And now people come to the tree of life like a temple to pray and share the most intimate, ask for mercy or just keep quiet. At the same time, you can’t even step on the sacred shadow of the ceiba, for this you need to ask him for permission.
And today in small settlements the sacred ceiba (tree) is located in the very center, on the square. You can often see extensive cut forests, but ceibs usually remain untouched, alone, and delight everyone with their amazingly beautiful lush blooms.
Ceiba bloom
Ceiba blooms in winter, and it is a delightful and extraordinary sight. This picture is impressive and shocking in its richness and richness of color.
Ceiba is a tree whose flowers consist of 5 petals. Inflorescences are pinkish-red, white and purple. They appear on bare branches. Byin appearance and shape similar to hibiscus flowers. Their diameter is about 15 centimeters.
It should be noted that each flower opens for only one day, and then crumbles. Therefore, under a huge tree during its flowering, literally the entire space is covered with a beautiful bright and luxurious carpet of delicate petals.
Fruits of the ceiba tree
Pear-shaped fruits (or in the form of avocados) are formed on the branches after flowering of the tree, which at the end of winter, after full ripening, crack, open and expose a large number of dark small seeds. The latter are supplied with white long fibers resembling cotton.
This pile (kapok) used to be collected and then used to stuff the insides of mattresses, horse saddles and pillows.
These fibers are highly valued on the world market and are sold under the name of burl silk. On one tree, from 600 to 4000 fruit boxes ripen per season.
Some interesting facts
A unique ceiba tree. Interesting facts about him confirm this. In the tropical rainforests of America (the birthplace of ceiba), the plant grows to an impressive huge size (50-60 meters in height) in the form of a large wide umbrella, towering over nearby trees.
An interesting fact is that when the Spanish troops surrendered to the army of the United States of America in 1898, the peace pact was signed under a large ceiba tree. It then stood in the vicinity of the city of Santiago de Cuba. Ever sincesignificant historical times, this tree is called the World Tree.
Application
Ceiba is a tree that is widely used in people's lives. Kapok, which has good buoyancy and is lighter than cotton, can hold up to 30 times its own weight in water.
More recently, until synthetics began to replace natural materials, kapok was widely used to fill upholstered furniture, seats in water transport and airplanes, soft toys, etc.
Due to good buoyancy and water resistance (fetal hairs are covered with a waxy substance), kapok is indispensable in the production of vests and other life-saving equipment. Among other things, light warm jackets for polar explorers are also sewn from it. This plant makes excellent bonsai.
Due to its simple propagation by seeds, ceibu is also grown as an original ornamental plant for greenhouses and other large premises.
Since under natural growing conditions, ceiba flowers are pollinated not only by insects (butterflies and bees), but also by hummingbirds, and even bats, the flowers and leaves of the plant are used in medicines, as well as for the manufacture of cosmetics and creams. The flowers have excellent anti-inflammatory and astringent properties.
Ceiba wood is used by the Indians to build canoes, and the fibers from the trunks are used to make ropes. In the vast plantations of Asia (southeast) it is grown for timber,designed for the manufacture of beautiful veneer, plywood, paper.
The bark of the plant also contains certain psychotropic substances. Native Indians prepare from it a special drink of Amazonian shamans (ayahuasca), used during rituals to enter a trance.
Seeds are used in the production of fatty semi-drying oil, replacing cottonseed. It is used in food, on the farm as a fertilizer and in the manufacture of soap and candles. It is also used for technical purposes. The remaining cake from the seeds is used to feed livestock.
Conclusion
In addition to the fact that ceiba trees are a storehouse of useful properties, they remain sacred today for people living next to these amazing plants. During active deforestation, they continue to proudly and majestically rise above agricultural land and pastures.
There were cases when the builders carefully fenced the ceiba so as not to damage it and keep it for many years.
