Family: Bixaceae

Silk cottontree is a flowering tree with a round, upright crown. During the flowering season, the silk cotton tree puts on a striking display of yellow blossoms contrasted with bare branches. It is impossible to miss. A fast grower with poor shade tolerance, silk cottontree is a low-maintenance plant that produces very little litter.

Fiber, food, wood materials, and floss are obtained from silk cotton. Other uses include living fence material.

Plant Uses:

• Erosion control
• Hedge
• Ornamental
• Privacy / screening
• Woodworking

Plant Dangers:

• No dangers

High Risk Traits:

• Highly suited to tropical climates
  
• Wind-dispersed seeds
  
• Animal-dispersed (gut passage)
  
• Pioneer in disturbed areas
  
• Generalist pollination

Low Risk Traits:

• Not weedy, or invasive
  
• Not toxic, spiny, allelopathic, or parasitic
  
• Shade intolerant
  
• Not a climber or thicket-former
  
• Not self-compatible
  
• No unintentional dispersal