SEMUL

Scientific name: Bombax ceiba

Climate: Maximum tempature varies from 35°C to 50°C and minimum temperature from 4°C to 18°C and annual rainfall 750mm to 4600mm

Soil: It grows on a variety of soils but its best development occurs in deep alluvial deposits with a preponderance of sand.

Spacing: It is planted in 3m x 4m or 3.7m x 3.7m spacing

Silvicultural characters: It is a strong light demander and tolerates moderate frost but is damaged in heavy frosts. It is drought-resistant and coppices well in early stages but does not coppice later. It also produces root suckers.

Nursery practices: Seed ripens in April-May and weighs 21-38 seeds/gm. The seeds are separated from cotton. Seeds are sown in nursery bed 5cm apart in drills made at a spacing of 23cm. Seeds are watered and after germination they are regularly weeded. when the seedlings are 10 to 15cm high, they are transplanted at a spacing at 25cm x 20cm.
Naked root entire planting is done in high rainfall areas. In other areas, entire planting is done with ball of earth. Stumps are made from 1 to 2 year old stumps are with collar diameter of 1cm to 2cm. Stumps have 4cm of shoot and 25cm to 30cm of root.

Planting method: Planting may be done in pits of 30cm³ but stump planting can be done in crowbar holes.

Plant protection: Semal shoot borer Tonica neviferana has caused extensive damage to plantations.

Uses: Silky material around seeds is used as stuffing(kapok) but of lower quality than Ceiba pentandra. Bark is used for rope making. Wood can be used for packing cases, toys, matches, canoes and others. Young flowers can be eaten as a vegetable. Flowers, pods, roots and gums are used in traditional medicine.