A Malvaceae pachycaul tree of the Gran Chaco dry forests of northern Argentina, southeastern Bolivia, and Paraguay — still widely traded under the older name Chorisia chodatii. Hassler described it as Chorisia chodatii in 1907; Ravenna transferred it to Ceiba in 1998. The epithet honours the Swiss botanist Robert Chodat. Wild trees reach 12–15 m, with a stout grey-white bottle-shaped trunk armed with thick conical spines. From late summer the tree opens large flowers — creamy white at the centre fading to a soft yellow toward the petal tips, the yellow tone the most useful field hint for telling it from its near-twin C. insignis.
Native climate
Rainfall is spread fairly evenly across the year. Overall a warm climate.
A broad-scale picture of the native range. Real growing spots — rock crevices, fog belts — can be milder.
Sources: climate & elevation WorldClim 2.1 (1970–2000) · occurrences GBIF · native range POWO · current weather Open-Meteo
Care
Light & Placement
Native to the Gran Chaco dry forest, it craves strong light and air movement. In active growth give it full sun outdoors — the trunk stays tight, the petioles short, and the bottle form holds together. Through Japan's midsummer the combination of high heat and intense sun can scorch leaves, so light shading at around 30% with the pot raised on a bench for airflow is the safer setting. After leaf-drop move it early to a bright indoor window kept above 8°C — never leave young plants outside through the cold months.
Watering
In active growth, water thoroughly once the surface dries — alternating wet and dry plumps the trunk. Don't leave water in the saucer. After leaf-drop, hold essentially dry through dormancy with at most a monthly misting.
Substrate
Drainage first, inorganic-led. Akadama : Kanuma : pumice = 4:3:3. A taller pot helps keep wet–dry cycles clean and the swollen trunk healthy.
Fertilizer & Supplements
A diluted liquid feed once or twice a month in active growth, or a pinch of slow-release at repotting. The species grows fast and the trunk thickens noticeably with modest feeding.
Temperature & Overwintering
Active growth runs 22–35°C; aim for an 8°C minimum. Mature trees in habitat shrug off light frosts down to about −5°C, but seedlings are far more cold-tender. Bring it under cover early in autumn and overwinter dry on a bright indoor window.
Starting from Seed
Where to source seeds
Pre-sowing treatment
Soak seeds for about half a day (overnight) in a mix of a registered seed-treatment fungicide (Benlate or Daconil) and a plant tonic (Menedael; outside Japan, SUPERthrive or a chelated iron / seaweed extract works similarly), each diluted per label. Floaters generally indicate older seed. The seeds are reasonably large and easy to handle — tweezers help with one-by-one placement.
Substrate
A fine-grained, near-sterile seedling mix: fine Akadama, fine Kanuma, vermiculite in 1:1:1 parts. Sterilize with boiling water or a microwave pass to reduce damping-off.
Sowing method
Seeds are dark and relatively large, so a thin covering of about half the seed thickness is enough. Space at least 1 cm apart to avoid crowding.
Light & temperature
Bright shade at a steady 25–30°C. Expect germination in 7–21 days. Germination depends strongly on seed freshness, but fresh seed tends to come up well.
Watering
Bottom-water with the level 1–2 cm up the pot. For the first 2–3 weeks, don't let things dry out, then drop the level gradually as seedlings come up.
Fertilizer
No feeding right after germination. Once true leaves emerge, give a heavily diluted liquid fertilizer once or twice a month — growth is brisk without pushing the dose.
From Germination to Repotting
Germination through true leaves
Continue bottom watering, avoid strong light.
Weaning off bottom watering
Transition gradually over 1–2 months.
First repotting
In the first year, once the plant has become root-bound.
Common Pitfalls
Mold & damping-off
- Cause: excess moisture, contamination, poor air flow
- Prevention: sterilize substrate, change bottom water frequently
Etiolation
- Cause: insufficient light, heat-and-humidity stress
- Prevention: bring LEDs closer right after germination, or move to bright shade outdoors
Seeds fail to germinate
- Cause: stale seed, insufficient warmth
- Prevention: fresh seed and 25–30°C on a heat mat
Notes
The thick trunk spines puncture skin readily — handle with care.
