The Kapok plant or known as Ceiba pentandra is one of the plants that thrives in tropical countries, such as Indonesia. This tree grows in several areas such as Java on the slopes of the mountains. This humongous tree is very valuable, especially for the export kapok manufacturers. For further information about the characteristics of kapok trees, here is the explanation.
The Characteristics of Kapok Tree That You Should Know
Development of Kapok Plants
Ripe kapok seeds will germinate within one to three days. After a week, the sprouts will be approximately 5 to 10 cm tall and have a cotyledon that looks like an inverted heart. After half a year, the tree is about one meter high, and horizontal branches appear at regular intervals. The development of the kapok plant is affected by the change of seasons.
For example, in Java, April to October is the dry season and November to March is the rainy season. Meanwhile, November and May are transitional periods. In this month, the kapok tree releases leave from small branches along with flowers. Within 6 weeks the buds usually grow to about 1 cm in diameter.
The Growth of Kapok Flower
The flowering of kapok trees occurs from June to July. According to numerous researchers, the flower season is determined by the rain in the transitional season. The correlation between flower bud formation and seasonality is due to several aspects. One of the reasons is that the flowering of plants will occur if there are several carbohydrate reserves in the plant.
Since flowering time and harvest time rely on each other, there is a relationship between harvest time and a rainy season between the beginning and end of the rainy season. During this period many conditions affect the formation of fruit, including the weather and environmental conditions around the kapok tree before ready to harvest by kapok manufacturers.
Fruit and Skin Development
Within 30 days, the ovaries develop into mature fruits. Along with this, the cotton seeds will grow but are still not perfect. The fruit walls will thicken and only a few fruit boxes will form. For about 1 to 10 days, the water content will decrease and ripen the kapok fruit. The whole process of fruit development from flowering to ripening will take approximately 80 days.
The Effect of Rainfall on Production of Kapok
Although the kapok plant is well maintained, the production will be different each year. It is because of the influence of rainfall in the dry season. If there is less rain, there will be extra fruit fall in the second period. Meanwhile, if there is a lot of rain, the leaf buds will not come out in time. Besides that, soil moisture is also a factor that affects the development of the kapok tree.
All in all, numerous characteristics occur on the kapok tree when they are growing. Starting from the development of this plant, flowering, fruit and skin development, and the effect of rainfall for production of kapok. For further information about kapok fiber filling, you can check at kapokfibersuppliers.com.