The so-called Kapok tree at the Museum of Fine Arts, St Petersburg and the one at the former
Kapok Tree Restaurant in Clearwater are local natural treasures, even if they really are Bombax trees.
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JULY/AUGUST 2017 | TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE 141
Although different in size and form, the husks of both trees
contain seeds that are embedded in cotton-like fibers. When
ripe, the surrounding layers release the fluffy fibers, which
help promote propagation, when the seeds are carried airborne
to new locations. The wooly fibers, while difficult to hand
separate or card, and too short to spin into textiles, are used as
stuffings, fillers and insulation.
The Kapok’s soft fibers, known as Kapok or Java cotton,
contain lignin and cellulose, which enable the fiberts to be
buoyant and water resistant. These properties made Kapok the
primary filler that was used in flotation devices, such as life
jackets, prior to the introduction of synthetic, easier to access,
less expensive synthetic replacements.
The small, round, brown seeds that are removed from the
Kapok pods’ silky fibers are harvested for use in foods and for
the manufacture of soap and fertilizer. In addition, the bark,
sap and leaves from Kapok trees can be used to treat a variety
of ailments.
The Bombax tree also has useful properties. It’s husk and
seeds, although purported to be poisonous if ingested, are
used in the preparation of a variety of internal and external
medications. The gum extracted from the Bombax is used for
medicines, cosmetics, foods and various industrial purposes. In
addition, its colorful astringent blossoms are used in skin care
products, in medications, and in herbal teas. Humans aren’t the
only beneficiaries of Bombax trees, which provide the exclusive
diet for the leaf miner, plus the main food source for certain
larvae.
Bombax and Kapok trees obviously provide more than their
exceptional beauty. And although you now know that the so
called Kapok trees that adorn the Tampa Bay area are really
Bombax trees, I’m guessing that you will still refer to them as
Kapoks, except to explain their differences to others. At least,
that’s what my husband Aaron and I do.
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