Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Origin
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States
Southern Asia, Southeastern Asia, India, China, Melanesia, Australia
Types
not available
Ceiba casearia, Bombax pentandrum
Number of Varieties
Not Available
Habitat
bottomlands, Depression on prairies, ditches, Floodplains, Riverbanks, stream banks, Swamps
Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-9
9-15
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Oval or Rounded
Flower Color
Yellow, Brown
Red, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Yellow, Light Yellow, Tan
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Not Available
Not Available
Leaf Shape
Oval with a pointed tip and fine teeth along their edges
Palmate
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring
Early Spring, Late Winter
Tolerances
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Requirements
Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering
Average Water Needs
In Summer
Lots of watering
Moderate
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Shape and thin as needed
Prune when young, Remove dead branches
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, No need to fertilize every year
Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Red blotch, Sawfly Larvae
Bacterial leaf spot, Red blotch, Root rot
Plant Tolerance
Pollution, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Drought, Soil Compaction
Flower Petal Number
Not Available
Single
Foliage Texture
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Attracts
Not Available
Bees, Birds, Hummingbirds
Allergy
Asthma
Headache, Pulmonary oedema, Respiratory distress, wheezing
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Not Used For Aesthetic Purpose
Beauty Benefits
Not Available
Improve skin tone, Making cosmetics, Moisturizing, Skin irritation
Environmental Uses
Erosion control, Wildlife
No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent Soil Erosion, soil stabilisation
Medicinal Uses
No Medicinal Use
Aphrodisiac, Diuretic
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Leaves, Seeds
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Oil is used as an industrial solvent, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
No
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
BETULA nigra
Ceiba pentandra
Common Name
River Birch
Cotton Tree, Red Kapok, Red-silk-cotton Tree
In Hindi
River Birch
सफ़ेद सेमल / शाल्मली
In German
Fluss Birch
Kapok baum
In French
Birch river
Fromager
In Spanish
river Birch
Ceiba
In Greek
ποταμός Birch
Ceiba
In Portuguese
river Birch
Mafumeira
In Polish
Rzeka Birch
Puchowiec pięciopręcikowy
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Family
Betulaceae
Bombacaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Not Available
Not Available
Subfamily
Not Available
Not Available
Number of Species
Not Available
Importance of River Birch and Kapok
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of River Birch and Kapok. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare River Birch and Kapok as they differ in many characteristics such as their life, care, benefits, facts, etc. Every gardener must at least have the slightest clue about the plants he wants to plant in his garden. Compare their benefits, which differ in many ways like facts and uses. The medicinal use of River Birch is No Medicinal Use whereas of Kapok is Aphrodisiac and Diuretic. River Birch has beauty benefits as follows: Not Available while Kapok has beauty benefits as follows: Not Available.
Compare Facts of River Birch vs Kapok
How to choose the best garden plant for your garden depending upon its facts? Here garden plant comparison will help you to solve this query. Compare the facts of River Birch vs Kapok and know which one to choose. As garden plants have benefits and other uses, allergy is also a major drawback of plants for some people. Allergic reactions of River Birch are Asthma whereas of Kapok have Headache, Pulmonary oedema, Respiratory distress and wheezing respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. River Birch has no showy fruits and Kapok has showy fruits. Also River Birch is not flowering and Kapok is not flowering . You can compare River Birch and Kapok facts and facts of other plants too.