Common Name: Upland Cotton

General Information

Gossypium hirsutum varies in habit. The stems are more or less woody and the plant can assume the habit of a tree or shrub. At other times the stems can die back and the plant is perennial or even annual. It can grow 2 metres or more tall.
The plant is very widely cultivated for the fibre obtained from the seed floss, which is used to make cloth and many other items[]. The plant also supplies a useful oil. There are many named varieties[].

Known Hazards

Some forms of this plant contain the toxin gossypol - glandless cultivars are free of this toxin[].

Botanical References

Range

Central America, north to southern N. America and the Caribbean.

Habitat

Not known

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Annual/Perennial
Height	2.00 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Cultivated

Cultivation Details

Sea Island cotton can be grown in the dry to moist tropics and subtropics, where it is found at elevations up to 1,250 metres. For commercial production it requires a climate that has a long, hot growing season with abundant moisture, followed by a drier period for harvesting the seed floss[]. Low temperature increases the production of vegetative branches and extends the cropping period, while high temperature increases the number of fruiting branches and reduces the cropping period. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 22 - 36°c, but can tolerate 15 - 42°c[]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 750 - 1,200mm, but tolerates 450 - 1,500mm[].
Prefers a very sunny position in a light, fertile soil[]. Plants can tolerate a range of well-drained soils, including moderate levels of salt[]. Prefers a pH in the range 6 - 7.5, tolerating 5 - 9.5[]. Requires a position sheltered from strong winds[].
The plant is usually cultivated as an annual, taking 150 - 220 days to mature a crop[].
Seed-cotton yields vary between 0.8 - 3 tonnes/ha, or 0.2 - 1.1 tonnes/ha of fibre[].

Edible Uses

Seed - cooked. The seeds contain up to 40% protein, they have a nutty flavour when roasted and can be eaten as a snack[]. They are also boiled and used like rice in casseroles and soups[]. Ground into a powder, they can be added to flour when making bread, cakes etc[]. They can also be made into a spread similar to peanut butter[]. Some forms of this plant produce seeds containing the toxin gossypol, which needs to be removed before the seed is eaten[]. The seeds of glandless cultivars do not contain this toxin[].

An oil obtained from the seed is used for salads, in cooking and to make margarine etc[, ].

Medicinal

The boiled leaves are applied to skin rashes on children[].

Agroforestry Uses:

Low-grade seed cake, after the oil has been expressed, is used as manure[]..

Other Uses

A good quality fibre is obtained from the seed floss[]. Cotton fibres have a wide range of used including making clothes; rubber-tyre fabrics; stuffing material for pillows, cushions etc; surgical dressings; making twine and ropes; carpets etc[].

An oil is obtained from the seed. Low-grades of the oil are used in the manufacture of soap, lubricants, sulphonated oils and protective coatings[].

An extract of the seeds is used as an ingredient in commercial cosmetic preparations as a skin conditioner[].

The seed hulls and the dry stalks are used as fuel[].

Propagation

Seed -

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