Bombax malabarica

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June 22, 2026

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Bombax malabarica, also known as the red cotton tree or simal cotton, is a tree native to India. It is characterized by striking red flowers that bloom while the tree is leafless.12

The seed floss from trees in the Bombax genus, including B. malabarica, is known as bombax cotton. This floss has soft fibers, typically pale yellow to brown, and is used primarily as wadding and upholstery material. Unlike commercial cotton, bombax cotton fibers grow from the side of the seedpod and are weaker, less elastic, and contain lignin, making them unsuitable for spinning into textiles on their own. The Bombax genus belongs to the Bombacaceae family, which includes other notable trees like the baobab and balsa.23

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Related species
…the simal cotton tree (Bombax malabarica), native to India, has many of the qualities of the Java type but is more brownish yellow in color and less resilient. Immersed in water, it supports only 10 to 15 times its own weight.
Read More
…the simal cotton tree (Bombax malabarica), native to India, has many of the qualities of the Java type but is more brownish yellow in color and less resilient. Immersed in water, it supports only 10 to 15 times its own weight.
Read More