Semal Tree / Silk Cotton Tree

                  Capped Langur (Trachypithecus pileatus) in flowering Cotton Silk Tree

A beautiful black Drango in red silk cotton tree

                                                            Birds on Silk cotton tree

 

Sunbird on silk cotton tree

                                       Golden oriole flower shimul, Bombax ceiba

                                                    Bombax ceiba / Silk Cotton / Bombax malabaricum

Bombax ceiba : A towering deciduous tree capable of reaching 60m. Much planted for ornament in Indian cities. Large trees are supported at the base by thin, spreading flanges. Its branches grows in tiers, radiating from trunk like the ribs of an umbrella. Cultivated on Delhi avenues mainly for its voluptuous, waxy blooms in March. Flowers : Large, showy, usually scarlet but can be coral, turmeric, pale yellow or even white, with fife fleshy petals bent backwards. The long stamens are bundled led in 6 separate bundles and the style in the center terminates in  a daintily 5 forked stigma. Pollinated mostly by Bat. Flowers buds appear long before the first flower wink on in February, prime time in Delhi in early to mid-March.  Fruit ripens and split open in May, releasing microfibers into the air (Asthmatics beware). Squirrels, deer's and other wild animals feast on fallen flowers. The silk cotton is collected to stuff pillows and quilts.

An Eco friendly tree : The tree is seen to possess moderate Sulphur oxide (SO) absorption capacity and is, therefore, recommended for roadside plantations in polluted urban areas.

    

                                    "Semal's call for joy, in Delhi Spring."

Bombax ceiba, Semal Tree, Red Kapok, Red Silk Cotton

                             

A tall native with straight trunk that is covered with hard, sharp, conical prickles. 

Leaves are large,with 3-7 lanceolate to oval leaflets having pointed apex. Flowers are large clustered at the end of branches. Fruit ovoid in shape with five partitions. Seeds are covered with silky white hairs.

Lip Service : An Oriantal White eye , which get its name from the distinct white ring around the eye. Feeds on nectar.

Introduction

Bombax  Ceiba or Semal actually is not just restricted to moist deciduous forest, it is also found in other types of forest as well but this particular tree actually does quite well in moist conditions. In fact, alluvial soil is where it actually prefers and grows to its maximum growth, and when the tree is young it has those spikes that can be seen on its trunk but when this tree grows older those spikes or those sprinkles fall away and then the buttresses or you know the trunk or the base of the tree tends to get quite thick.

The glorious Red Silk-Cotton with its flaming red flowers, as attractive to wildlife as it is to humans. The birds, mammals and flowers that live in the canopy, and listen to (some of) their calls in this audiovisual narrative.

Semal Leaf

The leaf structure is like the five fingers of a palm. So this particular shape when we are actually talking about leaves is called digitate because of course these are our digits and the leaves are also shaped like the fingers on a hand and that’s what you also see on this leaf and the leaflet or the centre one that you usually see is the first, furthest away from the leaf stock and also tends to be the longest. Again, all of them are usually with pointy tips.

Semal Bark

 

                                        

The bark of this particular tree, as mentions earlier, has those spikes when they are actually young. This is presumably for the protection of the trees from heavy browsing. So that’s one thing that you’ll notice about the bark of the tree but usually, as the tree gets older these spikes tend to fall off and in fact, you will see fissures similar to the style that we actually talked about vertical lines.

Semal Flower

Red Silk Cotton Flower

Pink Silk Cotton Flower

Yellow Silk Cotton Flower

Rare White Semal Flower

Now the more recognizable parts of this tree are those beautiful flowers. Bright red usually on most occasions coral red but they may also be yellow, orange, and even sometimes pale white. So that’s something that you’ll also notice for this particular tree. The flowers are very prominent, in fact, they come out before the leaf so that’s when you’ll actually see the flowers are coming out during the months of January to March and at this time if you’re on safari or you’re on a walk and you see a Bombax Ceiba, just wait there because it is a bird watching delight for you to be near a Semal because you’ll see a diversity of birds. You’ll see Bulbuls and Sunbirds and Flowerpeckers and Barbets and Leafbirds. It’s amazing to see the level of activity on this tree because they all come to feed on the nectar of those flowers and in the process of that some of them even help in pollination. Apart from that, though the flowers are also pollinated by bats as well so there’s pollination happening during the night as well.

Semal Fruit

Ripe Cracked Fruit/ Fruit ovoid shape with five partitions

Semal Seeds

Kopok : a fine, fibrous substance like cotton that grows around the seeds of the ceiba tree, used as stuffing for cushions, soft toys, etc.

Somewhere in the months between March or April, you’ll see the fruit coming out and it’s this pouched sort of fruit. Pouch shape with these vertical lines and the most recognizable part, it’s when the fruit opens and you actually see the reason for the name of this tree. The silk or the cotton inside the silk cotton is what of course gives this tree its name and there you can see this white fiber inside of course with the black seeds inside and this particular silk cotton, of course, has some applications as well.

Uses of Semal

Yellow Semal

Traditional Silk Cotton Pillows

The cotton silk found inside the fruit is used to fill pillows etc and apart from that, though it’s a little short for it to be weaved or spun so it’s usually not used for that but the tree also has medicinal uses. it is used in the curing of diarrhea and other ailments as well. It is also supposed to have some efficacy in treating infertility or impotency particularly the root of this tree. However, this does need to be scientifically validated. Apart from that, this particular tree, the wood tends to be used sometimes in making material for canoes, etc. So it does fairly well in water as well. Also, the timber is pretty light so there’s not much use for it for making houses or furniture, and is tends to be used most for matchboxes or matchsticks or any other light application.

How is the Silk Cotton Flower ger pollinated ?

There are two scientific studies on the pollination mechanism in the Red silk cotton tree. Mature buds of Bombax ceiba open at midnight and the anthers dehisce immediately thereafter. The stigma becomes receptive and remains so until late evening the following day. Estimates of pollen grains per anther vary greatly from 6,308 to 88,630 (and hence per flower from 5,04,640 to 88,63,000). Nectar is produced from the time the flower is open and functional, and continues to be secreted until about 0500 hr. Each flower secretes about 258±3.5 μl of nectar mainly composed of sucrose, glucose and fructose. The sugar concentration varies from 19-25% through the day. 

Flowering & Fruit : Feb - March.

Fruit set is possible only when the stigma is pollinated by pollen from a flower produced on another plant (xenogamy). Thus B. ceiba is an obligate out crosser. Fruits take about four weeks to mature, and each fruit generally produces about 330 black, smooth, light seeds surrounded by white floss. Red silk cotton flowers are visited by bees, birds and bats. The latter include the large bat known as the flying squirrel or the great Indian fruit bat (Pteropus giganteus) and two smaller bats, the greater short-nosed fruit bat (Cynopterus sphinx), and the long-winged tomb bat (Taphozous longimanus). These visit the flowers to drink nectar from 1900 hour to until 0400hr, and while doing so invariably contact the style and the stigma thus effecting pollination. A variety of birds are reported to visit the flowers during daytime between 0600 hour and 1800 hour: the Black Drongo (Dicrurus adsimilis), Bank Myna (Acridotheres ginginianus), Indian Myna (A. tristis, see picture on the right)

Indian Myna

Oriantal White Eye Eating Nectar

A light vented Bulbul songbird takes nectar from the flower of the silk cotton tree.

Jungle Myna (A. fuscus), Jungle Crow (Carvus macrorhynchos), House Crow (C. splendens), Tree Pie (Dendrocitta vagabunda), Red Whiskered Bulbul (Picnonotus jacosus), White Eye (Zosterops palpebrosa), Common Babbler (Turdoides caudatus), Yellow-cheeked Tit (Parus xanthogenys), Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri)10, Coppersmith Barbet (Megalaima haemacephala), and Golden-backed Woodpecker (Dinopium benghalense). The most common visitor is the Indian Myna (Acridotheres tristis).

While probing flowers for nectar, the beak, head and body of the birds invariably come in contact with the stamens and stigma, facilitating pollination. Among the bees, the Asiatic honeybee (Apis cerana) and the dwarf honeybee (A. florea) are regular visitors and the carpenter bee (Xylocopa latipes) an occasional visitor. Apis bees collect both nectar and pollen, foraging mostly on a single tree. As the red silk cotton is not self-pollinating, their flower visits are considered of little significance. Xylocopa bees, on the other hand, collect only nectar, but move between trees of the same species nearby, hence their foraging behaviour results in cross pollination.

Semal tree attracts birds to quite extent There is a constant cacophony of the bird voices from the tree in full bloom. Birds like Crows, Bulbuls, Mynahs, Drongo, Babblers, Sun-birds, Parakeets, and many other quarreled for a sip of the nectar.

Food & Drink : The insectivorous ashy Black Drongo feeds on the nectar and preys on insects.

Indeed  only around this season  an attentive citizen realize the semal's extensive spread in the city, especially in the diplomatic enclave, check Niti Marg. But every single semal, no matter where, commands a stage presence. The most remarkable once include on the outside the 16th century Khairul Manazil mosque on Mathura Road, one behind Kaka's tea place in Patel Nagar, one facing the glass concreate office complex in Gurugram's Shankar Chowk, one near the Christian cemetery in that town's Civil Lines.

Social network : The blue throated barbet is often to be found on the foothills of the Himalayas.

A more perplexing sight is on the banks of Yamuna, Nizamuddin Bridge, close to the Jain Shikanji Restaurant. A gigantic semal stands amid a cluster of tin dwellings, besides the polluted river. First the tree is naked, except for a few buds. On the verge of acquiring hundreds of flowers  Its impending richness is inadvertently heightening the dreariness of the surrounding houses.

Semal is considered as a tree of the infernal region (hence one of its Sanskrit names Yamadruma (Tree of Yama, the Lord of death).

owl on Semal Tree

Because it has prickles on its stem it has earned the name Kantakadruma (prickly tree). It is also considered inauspicious in the Dungarpur district of Rajasthan due to the hooting of owls that make the tree their home.

What's for lunch? A Rhesus macaque feeding on the petals of semal flowers at Katarniaghat Wild century, Uttar Pradesh

Match Maker : A male Common Rose Flinch sings after drinking nectar from semal flowers. It plays the role in pollination of semal and other trees.

A Jungle Crow aka Large-billed Crow is picking on open flowers of the Red Silk-Cotton Tree

                                                         

Grey Hornbill on Silk Cotton

Golden oriole on Silk Cotton

                                                                  Black Hooded Oriole

Sometimes I wonder how a Semal gets by, with all kinds of birds and beasts eating their fill- here, a Squirrel eating buds. The generosity of a large tree.

                                                                   Black Collared Star

Pigeon

  

                                               Parrot on Red Silk Cotton Tree

Red Silk Cotton Flowers that attracts Leafbird 

House Crows on Red Silk Cotton.

Mythological Connection 

The festival of Holi (also the festival of colours) is celebrated in the month of Phalguna. The Bhagavata Purana has an interesting story on the tradition of Holi. Hiranyakashipu, the demon king committed austerities to propitiate god Vishnu and obtained a boon. Believing that he was invincible, and no less than god, Hiranyakashipu forced everyone to worship him. However, his own son Prahlad refused to comply, devoting himself to the worship of lord Vishnu. The demon king subjected Prahlad to the most gruesome punishments, but was nevertheless unable to convert him. An enraged Hiranyakashipu enlisted the services of his sister Holika to get rid of Prahlad. Holika had a magical cloth that protected her from being harmed by fire. She tricked young Prahlad into sitting on her lap on a bonfire 

As the flames engulfed them the garment flew from Holika and enveloped Prahlad. Holika was burnt away while Prahlad came out unharmed. Lord Vishnu killed Hiranyakashipu shortly thereafter, bringing much-needed succor to the suffering subjects. In many parts of India, especially the northern region, the burning of Holika is symbolically re-enacted on the eve of the Holi festival. The demoness Holika is represented by a pole – usually of the Semal tree – that is set fire to, celebrating the triumph of good over evil. 

Obviously, this ecologically unsustainable practice is very detrimental to the survival of Semal tree. In Udaipur city alone 1500-2000 trees and twigs are traditionally burnt by Bhil, Garasia and Damor tribes. Since the district of Udaipur has 2,351 villages, more than 2,300 Semal branches/poles are sacrificed during Holi without any plan for conservation and regeneration put in place.

Rare find : A Shouldered Chestnut Petronia, earlier called yellow throated sparrow because of prominent patch on the male's throat.

I have vivid childhood memories of the silk cotton (semal ) tree.  It was only much later, as an enthusiastic birdwatcher, that I realized that you could spend hours watching the birds coming to these large leafless trees whose red flowers were like bird magnets.

The semal, as it’s known in north India, is undoubtedly one of the most majestic trees of the subcontinent. As winter sets in, it abandons its leaves and is soon completely bare, with its rough, thorny trunk and circular branches giving it an impressive look.

Buds start forming as spring sets in, and they burst into stunning red (sometimes orange, and even yellow) flowers, completely taking over the tree and dominating the landscape. Birds come for the flower — mainly its nectar, but also its petals, and treasures such as the insects that get attracted to the nectar. With the occasional rains during this season, water gets stored in the small cup-shaped flower, quenching the thirst of its visitors.

Researchers in Amravati, Maharashtra, found that a cool 81 species frequented the semal to feed, nest and to roost.

The stately tree has proved to be an important nesting and roosting place for critically endangered bird species such as the greater adjutant stork and vultures.
The flowers don’t go unnoticed by mammals either. A study on this tree in Rajasthan showed that 11 species of mammals, including macaques, langurs and giant, flying and palm squirrels, feed on the flowers. The fallen flowers attract deer, antelopes, bears and porcupines. As night sets in, bats come to feed on the nectar. The birds and bats help pollinate the flower. This performance repeats itself across the semal’s range, from the Himalayas and southwards to other parts of the country. It is undoubtedly a keystone species.

Humans are not far behind in utilizing the semal tree’s produce. Its flowers are used to make natural colours for Holi, its fruit is pickled and its cotton made into pillows. The tree is seen to possess moderate Sulphur oxide (SO) absorption capacity and is, therefore, recommended for roadside plantations in polluted urban areas.
In mega-cities such as Delhi, the semal is an urban-defying phenomenon. Nature enthusiasts are taken aback every year by its absolutely stunning flowering performance against the urban backdrop of the Capital. 

Bees on Semal Tree

Ceaseless falling of  Semal flowers

Names

Indian Silk Cotton Tree

Botanical Name 

Ceiba pentandra

Bees on Semal Tree

Language Name (s) 

Assamese Dumboil, Himila, Himolu 

Bengali Roktosemul, Shimul 

English Cotton tree, Kapok tree, Red silk cotton tree, 

Gujarati Sawar, shimalo

Hindi Semal, shālmali 

Kannada Boorugada Mara, Bural, Kempu Boorugada Mara, Pula 

Malayalam Elavu, Illavu, Kandilavu, Mocha, Mullilavu, Panjimaram, Pichila, Poola, Poorani, Pulamaram, Unnamurikku, 

Manipuri Tera 

Marathi Saanvar, Saanvari, Saura, Shaalmal 

Odiya Buro, Salmali 

Panjabi Sainbhal, Semal, Sumbal 

Sanskrit Kantakadruma, Mahavriksha, Mocha, Panchaparni, Raktashālmali, Shālmali, Yamadruma Tamil Elava Maram, Ilavu, Ilavu Maram, Malai Elavam, Mullilavu, Sittan, Sanmali, Pulai, Purani, Puulaa 

Telugu Adavi buruga, Buruga, Burugachettu, Mulluburugachettu

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