Kapok (HT 2008 171)

Reference ID
HT 2008-171

Scientific name: Ceiba pentandra
Family name: Malvaceae
Girth: 19 m @ 0.5 m height
Height: 30.2 m

Location
Singapore Botanic Gardens,
beside Holttum Hall

The Kapok is a fast-growing, deciduous tree that can reach up to 70 m in height. The trunks of younger trees are covered in sharp, conical prickles but will gradually become thorn-less as it matures. In matured specimens, the tree is often heavily buttressed. The branches are arranged in a tiered fashion, resembling a pagoda. It sheds its digitately-compound leaves before flowering and fruiting in response to drought although in cultivation, the tree might still flowers with a full canopy of leaves. The cream-coloured flowers are nocturnal and milky scented, attracting pollinating bats. The fruits are large, hanging pods that split when ripe to release white fibre to which tiny black seeds are attached. The fibre is buoyant and water-resistant and was used in the past to stuff life-jackets, pillows and mattresses.

The Kapok originated from tropical America and is the National Tree of Puerto Rico.

The seed from which this Tree grew was a present from the Bogor Botanic Gardens, West Java, and was planted here in 1933 by the former Director of Singapore Botanic Gardens, Eric Holttum in 1933. The current Herbarium located below ground was positioned in order to protect the roots of this tree.

For more information on this species, please refer to NParks' Flora & Fauna Web profile here.

Gallery

Heritage Tree in 2024
(📷: Hazri Boey)

Heritage Tree in 2011
(📷: Heritage Tree Secretariat)