1. A large tropical tree native to Central and South America, known for its massive trunk and silky fiber used in textiles and stuffing.
Usage: Also called kapok tree or silk-cotton tree; Scientific name: Ceiba pentandra

Examples

• The ceiba tree can grow over 150 feet tall in tropical rainforests.
• Ceiba fiber is harvested and used to fill pillows and life jackets.
• Ancient Mayan cultures considered the ceiba tree sacred and central to their cosmology.
• The massive ceiba dominates the forest canopy with its broad, spreading branches.
• Ceiba seeds are enclosed in pods that split open to release the fluffy fiber.