Łódź, Palmiarnia greenhouse, Lechosław Piekacz collection

It is native to Central America from southern Mexico to Honduras. Ornamental plant. Pot plant. Edible plant - seeds of the white-flowered form are eaten as a snack food. Herbal plant - a decoction of the bark is a domestic remedy for coughs and catarrh; a decoction of the bark and root is used for treating toothaches and hardening of the gums. Usable plant - the cotton-like fibre within the pods is utilized like kapok, for stuffing cushions and pillows; the wood is very brittle when freshly cut, but when seasoned it is satisfactory for fuel and even for making such articles as bateas (the Central American equivalent of washboards).