Simal
Bombax ceiba
Outdoor Plants Difficulty: Easy
📖 About this plant
Bombax ceiba (syn. Salmalia malabarica — silk cotton tree or ‘Simal’/’Simili’ in Odia, also called Semal) is a large deciduous tree of the Bombacaceae family. The tree bears large scarlet-red flowers in spring before leaf emergence — making it one of India’s most spectacular flowering trees. Seed capsules yield silky cotton (simal cotton) used for stuffing pillows and mattresses. Wood is soft and used for plywood, matches, and floats. The tree is the state flower of Odisha.
🧑🌾 Care requirements
☀️
Light
Full sun
💧
Water
Regular; moderately drought-tolerant
💨
Humidity
Moderate
🌡️
Temperature
15-38°C
🪴
Soil
Well-draining loam
🧪
Fertilizer
Compost annually
🌐 Common Names
HI
Hindi
सिमल
BN
Bengali
শিমুল
MR
Marathi
सिमळ
TE
Telugu
సిమల్
TA
Tamil
சிமல்
GU
Gujarati
સિમલ
UR
Urdu
سمال
KN
Kannada
ಸಿಮಲ್
OR
Odia
ସିମଲ
ML
Malayalam
സിമൽ
PA
Punjabi
ਸਿਮਲ
AS
Assamese
শিমল
📋 Plant facts
- 🌍 Origin
- Indian Subcontinent
- 📏 Max height
- 10-20 m
- 📐 Spread
- 4-6 m
- 🕰️ Bloom time
- Spring
- 🎨 Bloom color
- White-yellow
- 🍃 Foliage color
- Green
- ⏳ Lifespan
- 40+ years
- 📈 Growth rate
- Moderate
- ☠️ Toxicity
- Non-toxic
- 🌱 Propagation
- Seeds
🛡️ Health & Safety
🐾 Pet safe
✅ Non-toxic
Non-toxic
Common issues
- Leaf spot
- caterpillar defoliation
💡 Care tips
- Plant in well-draining soil with appropriate light.
- Tolerates Indian tropical conditions.
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