| |
Gossypium
herbaceum, the Cotton Plant or Levant Cotton, is native
mostly of South Africa, but is also found across almost
all the continents. This shrub grows no taller than 1.5
meters high and about 1 meter across.
The foliage is persistent or semi-persistent depending on
the climate. The leaves are palmed and green, sometimes
with red-purple markings. The flowers are pretty and
round. They are bright yellow. The fruit of the Cotton
Tree is a brownish capsule that opens at maturity and
exposes the seeds that are covered with a white fibre,
the cotton.
Hardiness zones 9-10 (-5ºC/25ºF, 1ºC/35ºF) in winter.
The Cotton Tree loves sunlight and hot temperatures and
is very sensitive to cold. Young plants die at 10ºC.
Adult plants dont resist temperatures under 2ºC.
The Cotton Tree can accommodate of any sort of soil, as
long as it is well-drained. It can resist to long periods
of drought, but it will grow faster and better if it is
watered regularly and abundantly. It needs a lot of light.
|
|