Bombax ceiba
The Bombax ceiba is a large, perennial tree with a broad, oval-shaped canopy that typically reaches heights of 15-25 meters, with some trees growing as tall as 25-30 meters. Its canopy can spread up to 15 meters wide. The tree has a straight trunk, covered with thorns, and the nodes are not easily visible. The bark of young trees is light green, which darkens as the tree matures. In contrast, the neem tree is propagated through seeds and typically grows in plains, deciduous forests, and along mountain slopes at elevations between 100 to 600 meters. However, it has become rare and is now mainly found in a few northern regions.
The neem tree’s compound leaves resemble a hand with 3-7 alternate leaflets. These leaflets are elliptical to oval, with pointed tips and a narrow base. The edges of the leaflets are smooth, and the leaves themselves are 1.5-2.5 inches wide and 6-10 inches long. The texture of the leaves is thick, leathery, and smooth. The leaf stems are long and have a slightly swollen base. On the other hand, the Bombax ceiba tree’s leaves are large and lobed, forming a rounded, palmate shape.
Neem tree flowers are large and grow in clusters at the branch tips or shoot ends, with colors ranging from pinkish-red, dark crimson, orange, and occasionally golden. These flowers are fragrant and bloom in groups of 3-5 with a cup-shaped base. Their petals are thick and lance-shaped, measuring 8-10 centimeters in diameter, curling inward toward the flower’s base. The flowers also have numerous long, white-pink stamens and a single pink pistil. Neem trees typically bloom from January to February and shed their leaves before flowering. By comparison, the Bombax ceiba flowers are large, trumpet-shaped, and can have varying shades of pink, white, or red, often with an aromatic scent.
