The Mae West of Trees?? Well, close...

Seems to me like Mae West would be VERY proud to be associated with this Floss Silk tree - or the Kapok tree. Both are very large, very showy and can surprise you with thorns! The flowers are brightly colorful, and appear as the leaves are dropping at the onset of the dry season (fall in the warmer parts of the Northern Hemisphere).
The brilliant flowers are large, to nearly 5" across and can carpet the ground when in full flower. In the same Order as Hibiscus, the Bombaceae or Bombax Family is mainly a tropical and Southern Hemisphere group of plants, with some trees of bizarre shapes and sizes.

There are many 'cultivars' of the Floss Silk Tree that include several different colors. This unusal tree is located on property once owned by Sumida Nurseries in Santa Barbara, California and is not only an older tree, it was grafted with at least three different flower types! In the news today, the Sumida Nursery Property is undergoing changes of its own. Let's hope the developers respect the most superior of Sumida plants.

But back to Ms. West... and the connection to this odd tree. You may recall a type of life vest used in the first half of the 20th Century? First used at the time of Ms. West's prominent career, sailors wearing this bulky vest felt they immediately had added girth above the waist to match the shape of the legendary Mae West. It is the silky fibers in the ripening fruit or pod that were used in making the flotation vests. These fibers were naturally coated in an oil and encapsulated the air within the fibers. Only if the cover of jacket was punctured could it fill with water and fail. This type of flotation was later superceded by much more dependable foams.

Flower closeups

And just where would the 'thorniness' occur? Varieties have been found or selected for use in landscapes that have very few if any thorns - for obvious reasons. This variety is nearly thornless a few feet above the ground.

Small thorns can be seen near the ground, as well as a carpet of fallen flowers.

THIS is why thornless varieties are popular in personal landscapes! Personally, I very much favor the striking (ouch!) look of the thorns of Chorisia speciosa. The thorns are very much a part of the tree's character and identity.

Can you see the nickel slipped in next to a large thorn? That will give you some idea of the size of the thorns! These are some SERIOUS thorns! The bark itself is also unusual in that it is green - an adaptation that allows for some photosynthesis to occur even after the leaves have fallen. Clever, eh?

In every way but ONE, this would be a great climbing tree. However, that ONE way is truly the end of that idea!

So thanks to the fibers in the fruit of a tree native to southeastern South America, lives have been saved at sea, snuggly wrapped in the embrace of Ms. West!