[ TOKKURI-KIWATA ]
(Botanical name: Ceiba speciosa)

The Tokkuri-kiwata is a flowering tree native to Brazil. Its flowering season

in Amami seems to be December and January when we have fewer flowers.

The pink five-petal flower has a diameter of about twelve centimeters.

You can grow the tree by seedling or cutting.

The tree grows pretty quickly.

But it is said the trunk tends to form a sake-bottle shape called Tokkuri

when grown by seedling. And if you peel its fruit (inedible), white cotton

wrapping the seed appears. As I hear, the cotton can be used for stuffing,

such as cushion in a pillow.

Thus the Japanese name TOKKURI-KIWATA is a combination Sake-bottle and

Cotton. When touching the trees, you should take precautions against the

thick thorns with sharp points, which the trunks sometimes bear.