Marc Ryckaert · CC BY-SA 4.0Silk floss tree (bottle tree)
Ceiba chodatii y Ceiba speciosa · samu'ũ
A pot-bellied, prickly trunk that stores water; huge flowers and pods that release white fluff.
What it is
These trees have swollen, bottle-shaped green trunks studded with prickles, where they store water for droughts. The Chaco is home to the creamy-white-flowered samu'ũ (Ceiba chodatii), while the pink-flowered one (Ceiba speciosa) grows in the Eastern Region. Their pods split open to release seeds wrapped in a silky fiber, paina, once used to stuff pillows.
Did you know…?
The samu'ũ's “pregnant” trunk is one of the most photographed silhouettes in the Chaco, along with the candelabra cacti.
Season
Blooms from late summer into autumn (roughly February to May). The pods split open toward the end of winter.
Where
The Dry and Central Chaco (Teniente Enciso, Defensores del Chaco, around the Mennonite colonies). In Asunción and other cities you'll see the pink-flowered species in squares and along avenues.
Researched and reviewed in September 2026 with 4 sources. A second reviewer checked dates, coordinates and lodging. Hours and prices may change.