Bombax ceiba
Family: Bambacaceae / Malvaceae
Common Names: Red Silk Cotton Tree, Buboi-gubat
Origin: native species, also reported from India to southern China, and southward to Sumatra and Java.
- it resembles the Kapok, an introduced species
- grows up to 25 m
- we learned about this tree from Dr. Ed Gomez when we were in the Ecology Committee of the village
- he gave us all the saplings from the tree nursery he set up in the village!
- he said that it looks beautiful when it blooms in February and March
- it sheds its leaves and is covered in red flowers that attract a lot of insects
- the insects bring in a lot of birds!
- we intend plant them around the perimeter of the farm.
How long before it bears flowers?
I don’t know. Ours haven’t flowered yet. One of them had a single bud, but it didn’t flower.
It takes 8 years daw to flower. It blooms in mid-febuary, they say the place “Bulacan” is called Bulacan because they once had lots of Malabulak tree, which are used to make silk-like cotton clothes.
We planted ours in 2012 or 2013 and some of them flowered this year (2019).
Can you tell me where you acquired the seedlings?
Hi, all of our Malabulak seedlings were given to us by Dr. Ed Gomez. They came from seeds he gathered in UP Marine Science Institute’s Bolinao Marine Laboratory in Bolinao, Pangasinan.
Is there, by any chance you extra seeds/seedlings left? I’m more than willing to buy it.
Sorry, all of our seedlings are already planted in the ground. If you are near Calamba, Laguna there’s a garden center there that sells native trees. They might be able to source for you. Try calling Jonathan Pornilda 998 321 4473.
Thanks for the help!
Where can we buy malabulak seeds
Hi, check the Facebook group Philippine Native Tree Enthusiasts. Try asking there, some members posted seeds for sale before.