| Ceiba | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Ceiba pentandra leaves and fruit | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Malvales |
| Family: | Malvaceae |
| Subfamily: | Bombacoideae |
| Genus: | Ceiba Mill.[1] |
| Species | |
19, see text | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
| |
Ceiba is agenus oftrees in the familyMalvaceae, native totropical andsubtropical areas of theAmericas (fromMexico and theCaribbean to northernArgentina) and tropicalWest Africa.[3] Some species can grow to 70 m (230 ft) tall or more, with a straight, largely branchless trunk that culminates in a huge, spreading canopy, andbuttress roots that can be taller than a grown person. The best-known, and most widely cultivated, species is Kapok,Ceiba pentandra, one ofseveral trees known askapok.Ceiba is a word from theTaíno language meaning "boat" because Taínos use the wood to build theirdugout canoes.[4][5]
Ceiba species are used as food plants by thelarvae of someLepidoptera (butterfly andmoth) species, including the leaf-minerBucculatrix ceibae, which feeds exclusively on the genus.
Recent botanical opinion incorporatesChorisia withinCeiba and puts the genus as a whole within the familyMalvaceae.[3]
The tree plays an important part in the mythologies ofpre-ColumbianMesoamerican cultures. In addition, several Amazonian tribes of eastern Peru believe deities live in Ceiba tree species throughout the jungle. The Ceiba, or ya’axché (in theMopan Mayan language), symbolised to theMaya civilization anaxis mundi which connects the planes of the Underworld (Xibalba) and the sky with that of the terrestrial realm. This concept of acentral world tree is often depicted as a Ceiba trunk. The unmistakable thick conical thorns in clusters on the trunk were reproduced by the southern lowland Maya of the Classical Period on cylindrical ceramic burial urns or incense holders.
Modern Maya still often respectfully leave the tree standing when harvesting forest timber.[6] The Ceiba tree is represented by a cross and serves as an important architectural motif in theTemple of the Cross Complex atPalenque.[7]
Ceiba Tree Park is located inSan Antón, inPonce, Puerto Rico. Its centerpiece is the historic Ceiba de Ponce, a 500-year-oldCeiba pentandra tree associated with the founding of the city.[8][9] In the surroundings of the legendary Ceiba de Ponce, broken pieces of indigenous pottery, shells, and stones were found to confirm the presence of Taino Indians long before the Spaniards that later settled in the area.[10] In 1525,Spanish ConquistadorHernán Cortés ordered thehanging ofAztec emperorCuauhtemoc from aCeiba tree after overtaking his empire.[11] The town ofChiapa de Corzo,Chiapas,Mexico was founded in 1528 by the Spanish around La Pochota,Ceiba pentandra, according to tradition. Founded in 1838, thePuerto Rican town ofCeiba is also named after this tree. TheHonduran city ofLa Ceiba founded in 1877 was named after a particularCeiba tree that grew down by the old docks. In 1898, the Spanish Army in Cuba surrendered to the United States under aCeiba, which was named theSantiago Surrender Tree, outside ofSantiago de Cuba.
Ceiba is also thenational tree ofGuatemala. The most important Ceiba in Guatemala is known as La Ceiba de Palín Escuintla which is over 400 years old. InCaracas,Venezuela there is a 100-year-old ceiba tree in front of the San Francisco Church known as La Ceiba de San Francisco and is an important element in the history of the city. The towering specimen near the town ofSabalito,Costa Rica, is arelict tree called "la ceiba" by residents and a survivor of one of the highest terrestrial rates of tropical deforestation.[12]
Ceiba pentandra produces a light and strong fiber (kapok) used throughout history to fill mattresses, pillows, tapestries, and dolls. Kapok has recently been replaced in commercial use by synthetic fibers. The Ceiba tree seed is used to extract oils used to make soap and fertilizers. The Ceiba continues to be commercialized in Asia, especially inJava,Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.
Ceiba pentandra is the central theme in the book titled,The Great Kapok Tree byLynne Cherry.Ceiba insignis andCeiba speciosa are added to some versions of the hallucinogenic drinkAyahuasca.
Pablo Antonio Cuadra, aNicaraguanpoet, wrote a chapter about the Ceiba tree. He used it as a symbol of the Nicaraguan ancestral roots, a cradle for the nation, and source[further explanation needed] during the people's exile.[13]
As of February 2025[update],Plants of the World Online accepts the following 5 species:[2]
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