Detailed guide to the cultivation methods of the kapok flower

1. Seed collection and processing

When the kapok fruit ripens it turns grayish-black, and the seeds scatter easily along with the cotton wool, so if you want to collect seeds you must do so in good time; after collecting them, spread them out in the sun and shake out the seeds. One thousand seeds weigh about 47.5 grams, with a germination rate between 70% and 80%. If stored too long, the germination rate drops or the seeds may even lose their ability to germinate. So it is best to sow them as soon as they are collected; if sowing must be delayed, they can be stored short-term in damp sand.

Before sowing, disinfect the seeds with a 0.3% potassium permanganate solution, then rinse them clean with water, dry them in the sun and sow.

2. Land preparation and sowing

Choose as the sowing site a slightly acidic sandy loam with good drainage, deep soil layers, loose texture, good structure, ample sunlight and strong water retention. Before sowing, it is best to prepare the land carefully. Broadcast the seeds, then cover with 2 cm of soil, press down lightly so the seeds and soil are firmly in contact, then water thoroughly; afterward water once or twice a day to keep the soil moist.

3. Seedling management

Kapok seeds generally begin to germinate 4 days after sowing, and germination is basically complete within 3 days. After the seedlings emerge, keep the soil moist to meet the kapok's water needs during growth; when the sun is strong and the temperature is high, shade them with a shade net to prevent damage from high temperatures and sunscald.

Detailed guide to the cultivation methods of the kapok flower

The kapok flower, also known as pansihua, red cotton and hero tree, comes from the dried flowers of the kapok plant of the family Bombacaceae. The kapok tree is tall and imposing, sturdy and broad, with spreading branches; its flowers are red as blood and as large as cups, and when it blooms the leaves have almost all fallen, so from a distance it looks like clusters of flames burning freely and leaping joyfully on the branches, full of grandeur. For this reason it has always been regarded as a symbol of heroes. Amid the green of the mountains it is like a beacon fire burning. It is an "indicator plant" of the climate, and locally there is a saying: "When the red cotton blooms, spring warmth arrives." In Dai love songs, girls often praise their beloved young men as tall kapok trees. The kapok is a beautiful ornamental flower; it grows leaves and blooms in spring, with large red flowers that are gorgeous and pleasing to the eye. Those brilliant flowers dye half the sky red. The Song dynasty poet Liu Kezhuang wrote: "Several trees half the sky red as if dyed, the locals say it is the kapok flower." Chen Gongyin of the Qing dynasty wrote in his Kapok Flower Song: "In the second and third months in the Cantonese river lands, thousands upon thousands of trees bloom with vermilion flowers. Like Yao shooting ten suns out of the sea, more like the ten thousand torches of the Wei palace circling the high terrace..." describing the beautiful scene of kapok flowers in bloom. Kapok is mostly distributed in the southern provinces such as Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian and Taiwan, China; it grows wild and can also be cultivated. It likes dry heat and tolerates high temperatures, and mostly grows in tropical and subtropical jungles and river valleys. From ancient times to the present, the Dai people of Xishuangbanna have made clever and full use of kapok: ancient Chinese texts mention many times the Dai brocade made from kapok fruit floss, called "tong brocade," which was famous in the Central Plains; kapok flower clusters or fibers are used as stuffing for pillows and bed mattresses, very soft and comfortable; on the dining table, dishes cooked with kapok petals also appear from time to time; the flowers, bark and roots of kapok all have medicinal value. The kapok flower has the effects of clearing heat and promoting urination, detoxifying and relieving summer heat, and stopping bleeding.

Cultivation methods

The kapok tree likes high temperatures and dryness, has strong drought tolerance, and is best planted in fertile soil. Its main propagation methods are seeds and cuttings; the rainy seasons of spring and autumn are good times for sowing, and once it is growing, only a little fertilizer is needed. Because the kapok tree is tall, it is most suitable as a street tree. If you want to grow it in a pot, you can sow and raise seedlings, starting from young plants. The growing site must have ample sunlight, good ventilation and good drainage, and only needs a complete fertilizer once or twice a year. Kapok is a deciduous large tree that is highly adaptable and easy to grow and manage, mostly growing in the south; the trunk and branches of young trees are covered with thorns, giving strong self-defense that can prevent damage by wild animals and livestock, and the survival rate of afforestation is over 80%. It generally flowers and fruits after five or six years, enters full bloom after ten years, and can be harvested for seed continuously for about 100 years.

Harvesting and processing

In spring, harvest the flowers in full bloom, and dry them in the sun or in the shade for later use. When drying, spread the calyx thinly with the corolla facing down; after drying, turn them over and dry quickly until completely dry. The best quality is dry, brilliantly red in color, strongly fragrant, with no loose or broken petals. When storing, take care not to crush the flowers, and also guard against moisture, light and mold.

Cultivation methods and precautions for the kapok flower

1. Morphological characteristics

2. Growth habits

Its soil requirements are not strict; sandy soil or heavy clay soil are both suitable, and it likes acidic soil. It is fairly drought-tolerant and also slightly tolerant of wet conditions, and its fertilizer requirements are not very high. Generally, soil of medium fertility with relatively high phosphorus and potassium gives abundant flowering and also brighter color; soil with ample water and relatively high nitrogen gives luxuriant branches and leaves and also more flowers, but the color is less bright. When planting, it is advisable to apply rotted cake fertilizer or garbage as base fertilizer, and before flowering and at full bloom, apply additional phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. The tree shape is not very attractive, but it has sprouting ability, so in management you can cut the trunk or prune and shape it to encourage a full crown, or plant 3-5 trees in one place to improve the ornamental effect.

3. Species distribution

In China it is planted in places such as Guangzhou, Zhuhai, Kunming, Shenzhen, Quanzhou, Fuzhou and Xiamen. In particular, in Guangzhou and Xiamen kapok is planted as a street tree all along the streets. Each year just after the Lantern Festival, the kapok tree begins to bloom.

4. Cultivation techniques

Cultivation methods

Cultivation of rootstock

Grafting time