Kapok Seeds

The kapok tree is a towering tropical species that can exceed 60 metres, with a buttressed trunk and spreading crown. Its elongated woody pods, around 15 cm long, split open when dry to release a mass of pale, silky fibre, in which many small round to ovoid seeds are held. The seeds are brownish-black, about 5 to 6 mm across, and rich in oil. When pressed, they yield a pale yellow oil with a mild, slightly cottony character. The fibre, which is buoyant, water-resistant and light, is the commercial crop, while seed is a by-product. Seeds are sold mainly for oil production and for planting, and press cake is used as animal feed or fertiliser.

Ceiba pentandra is native to the tropical Americas, and it also occurs naturally in West Africa, a distribution that has long interested botanists. It has been widely planted across tropical Asia, particularly Java, Thailand and the Philippines, where fibre production became established. The name kapok comes from Malay, and the genus name Ceiba is thought to derive from a Taino word for the tree, while pentandra means five stamens, a reference to the flower structure. In Central America and parts of Africa it is regarded as a sacred or spiritually important tree.

The kapok tree held deep significance for the Maya, who regarded a related ceiba as a world tree connecting the underworld, earth and heavens, and it remains a symbol in Guatemala. In West Africa the huge trees are village landmarks, and are sometimes associated with spirits and ceremonies. European traders found that kapok fibre could stuff pillows, mattresses and life jackets, and in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries Java became the major source, shipping fibre worldwide. Kapok-filled life preservers were used extensively in the first half of the twentieth century. After the Second World War, synthetic foams and fibres replaced much of the demand, and production declined, although the fibre is still used for insulation and in niche products. The seeds were pressed for oil used in soap-making and as lamp fuel, and in some places, seeds or the oil have been consumed locally after cooking or refining. The tree remains important in agroforestry and for its flowers, which feed bats, bees and birds.

Kapok seed oil is used in soap manufacture, as a lubricant and for lighting, and in some regions, refined oil has been used in cooking or as a substitute for cottonseed oil, although it contains cyclopropenoid fatty acids that need to be reduced by processing. The press cake is a protein-rich feed or fertiliser, with caution for feed use. Seeds are roasted and eaten in a few local traditions. The silky fibre surrounding the seeds is used for stuffing, acoustic and thermal insulation, and buoyancy aids. Young pods and flowers are eaten in some areas, and the wood is soft and used for light construction and canoes.

Kapok seed oil is chiefly unsaturated fat, but data on its use as a regular food are limited. Traditional medicine in Africa, Asia and Latin America uses bark, leaves and gum for various complaints, and laboratory studies have examined extracts for antimicrobial or anti-inflammatory effects. These findings are early and do not show that kapok seeds can treat any condition in people. It should not be considered a conventional dietary seed.