I’ve always been fascinated with the Kapok tree (ceiba pentandra) when I first learnt about it more than 7 years ago. I especially liked the fact that I could be growing my own silky cotton ingredient to make insulation materials, mattresses and pillows! How cool is that?
About 7 years ago, I managed to obtain and germinate 4 seeds taken from a trip in Cambodia. I’ve since been keeping this seedling growing in a bag for yes, 7 long years! As a result, the roots have grown all tangled up and distorted. I’ve now found a good reason to use it: as a live fence post and erosion checker.
The swampy area previously referred to as the “black horse” in the farm faces an onslaught of incoming silt and sand from a neighbouring plot. As I intend to build a live fence, just as with some other areas in the farm, I thought using the Kapok tree to stand guard at the farm’s boundary edge proved to be a good idea. It’s a massive tropical deciduous tree with formidable buttress root that I believe would help hold back the silt and sand.
It would probably take me a good number of many years to achieve the required woody mass in serving this purpose. Until then, it’s a consolation to be a sanctuary for such massive tropical trees in the farm.
