Ceiba pentandra, commonly known as the kapok tree, is a large, fast-growing tropical tree native to Central and South America. It can reach heights over 60 meters and is easily recognized by its massive, wide-spreading trunk, often with large buttresses, and its umbrella-shaped crown. The tree produces pods filled with a fluffy, cotton-like fiber—the kapok—which has been traditionally used for stuffing pillows, mattresses, and life preservers due to its buoyancy and lightweight properties. Valued for its wood, fiber, and medicinal bark, kapok has been widely planted in tropical regions worldwide for shade, ornament, agroforestry, and cultural significance.

While useful, the kapok tree can become invasive outside its native range, particularly on tropical islands. It has naturalized and become a disturbance weed in places like Tonga, French Polynesia, and the Marquesas Islands, where it can colonize open and disturbed areas. Its lightweight, wind-dispersed seeds allow it to spread readily into secondary forests and cleared lands, potentially outcompeting native vegetation. Care should be taken when planting this species in sensitive island ecosystems, as it may require management to prevent unintended spread and ecological impact.