Gossypium arboreum
L.
Malvaceae
Gossypium nanking Meyen.
Gossypium obtusifolium Roxb. ex G.Don
Common Name: Tree Cotton
Growing plant with open seedpods
Photograph by: KENPEI
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
Growing plant with open seedpods
Photograph by: KENPEI
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
Leaves
Photograph by: Vinayaraj
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
Close-up of flowers
Photograph by: KENPEI
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
Developing seedpods
Photograph by: Poco a poco
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
Seed floss (cotton) hanging from open seedpod
Photograph by: KENPEI
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
General Information
Tree cotton is a much-branched shrub growing up to 5 metres tall.
The plant is cultivated for its fibre, especially in India and Africa[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
Range
The original range of this plant is uncertain, but probably Africa or Asia.
Habitat
Not known in a truly wild location.
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Shrub |
| Height | 5.00 m |
| Cultivation Status | Cultivated |
Cultivation Details
Tree cotton can be grown in the dry to moist tropics and subtropics, where it is found at elevations up to 1,600 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[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 26 - 36°c, but can tolerate 18 - 38°c[
]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 750 - 1,250mm, but tolerates 500 - 1,500mm[
].
Prefers a very sunny position in a light, fertile, well-drained soil[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Plants can tolerate a range of soils, including moderate levels of salt[
]. Prefers a pH in the range 6 - 7.2, tolerating 5.3 - 8.5[
]. Requires a position sheltered from strong winds[
].
There are two main forms of the plant:-
var. Neglecta[Watt] produces very short fibres[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
].
Var. Sanguinea[Watt] produces strong, good quality fibre[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
].
Edible Uses
Leaves[
301- Title
- Cornucopia II
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications, California.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-2-5
- Description
- The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
].
The seeds contain a large amount of oil, which can be used as a substitute for olive oil[
272- Title
- Plants and People of Nepal
- Publication
-
- Author
- Manandhar. N. P.
- Publisher
- Timber Press. Oregon.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
- 0-88192-527-6
- Description
- Excellent book, covering over 1,500 species of useful plants from Nepal together with information on the geography and peoples of Nepal. Good descriptions of the plants with terse notes on their uses.
,
301- Title
- Cornucopia II
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications, California.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-2-5
- Description
- The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
].
Medicinal
The juice of the root is used in the treatment of fevers[
272- Title
- Plants and People of Nepal
- Publication
-
- Author
- Manandhar. N. P.
- Publisher
- Timber Press. Oregon.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
- 0-88192-527-6
- Description
- Excellent book, covering over 1,500 species of useful plants from Nepal together with information on the geography and peoples of Nepal. Good descriptions of the plants with terse notes on their uses.
].
Other Uses
The floss contained in the seedpods is used for making cloth and for the wicks of oil lamps[
272- Title
- Plants and People of Nepal
- Publication
-
- Author
- Manandhar. N. P.
- Publisher
- Timber Press. Oregon.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
- 0-88192-527-6
- Description
- Excellent book, covering over 1,500 species of useful plants from Nepal together with information on the geography and peoples of Nepal. Good descriptions of the plants with terse notes on their uses.
].
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[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
].
An extract of the leaf cells is used as an ingredient in commercial cosmetic preparations as a skin protector[
].
Propagation
Seed -
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
