What is Kapok?
{{taxobox |name = Kapok |image = Kapok_tree_Honolulu.jpg |image_caption = Kapok planted in [[Honolulu]], [[Hawaii]] |regnum = [[Plantae]] |divisio = [[Magnoliophyta]] |classis = [[Magnoliopsida]] |ordo = [[Malvales]] |familia = [[Malvaceae]] |genus = ''[[Ceiba]]'' |species = '''''Ceiba pentandra''''' |binomial = ''Ceiba pentandra'' |binomial_authority = ([[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]) [[Joseph Gaertner|Gaertn.]] }} '''''Ceiba pentandra''''' or the '''Kapok''' is a [[species]] of tropical [[tree]]s of the order [[Malvales]] and the family [[Malvaceae]] (previously separated in the family [[Bombacaceae]]), native to [[Mexico]], [[Central America]] and the [[Caribbean]], northern [[South America]], and (as the variety ''Ceiba pentandra'' var. ''guineensis'') to tropical west [[Africa]].The normal colours are white and pink flowers it takes 4 weeks to grow a bud. [[File:Kapok tree-pod.jpg|left|thumb|Kapok pod showing kapok fibres inside]] The word is also used for the fibre obtained from its seed pods. The tree is also known as the Java cotton, Java kapok, or ceiba. It is a sacred symbol in [[Maya mythology]]. The tree of life grows to {{convert|60|-|70|m|ft|abbr=off}} tall. It has a very substantial trunk up to {{convert|3|m|abbr=off}} in diameter with buttresses. ==Other websites== {{commons-inline}}<br/> {{wikispecies-inline}} {{taxonbar|from=Q138617 }} {{authority control}} [[Category:Trees]] [[Category:Malvaceae]] {{biology-stub}}