Floss Silk Tree

Floss Silk Tree

Chorisia speciosa

This beautiful deciduous tree, native to South America, blooms in the Fall. The green trunk and branches are protected by sharp spines.  After blooming, inedible large pear-shaped fruits bear seeds containing a silky floss. In the past, floss from the seeds was used for stuffing pillows. In the states, the Chorisia speciosa can be found along the coast of California, Arizona, southern Texas, and southern Florida.