Silk Cotton सेमल

🌱 About the plant

Fat red flowers on a bare grey trunk, then pods of cotton that blow down every street.

Growing it

Needs space overhead; the crown is broad and brittle.

What it is for

Nectar for parakeets and langurs; kapok from the pods.

🪴 How to grow

Sunlight

Full sun

Water

Weekly for two years

Season

Jun–Jul

Grows in

Garden / ground

Mature size

20–30 m

First harvest

Flowers from year six

Needs space overhead; the crown is broad and brittle.

🌾 Traditional uses

Traditionally used — recorded as tradition, not as established effect. The two registers below are kept separate on purpose.

Traditional knowledge

Nectar for parakeets and langurs; kapok from the pods.

Scientific evidence

This record has not yet assessed the research on these uses. Absence of an assessment here is not evidence either way.

Important: Traditional plant use does not replace professional medical advice. Do not treat a condition on the strength of this page — speak to a doctor.

🐝 Ecological value

🗺️ Where it grows in India