Malabulak Tree
Locally called Malabulak Tree in the Philippines and commonly known as cotton tree, red silk-cotton or red cotton tree, is an Asian tropical tree with a straight tall trunk and its leaves are deciduous in winter. Red-orange or pink flowers with 5 petals appear in the spring before the new foliage. It produces a capsule which, when ripe, contains white fibres like cotton. Its trunk bears spikes to deter attacks by animals. Although its stout trunk suggests that it is useful for timber, its wood is too soft to be very useful.
Malabulak grows to an average of 20 meters, with old trees up to 60 meters tall in wet tropical regions. This cotton tree can rivals the cherry blossoms in terms of splendor. When all the leaves have fallen off the tree, leaving only large red-orange or pink flowers on its branches.
Scientific name: Bombax ceiba
Family: Malvaceae
References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombax_ceiba
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1691759874218084&set=pcb.1691759900884748
