Ceiba is the name of a genus of many species of large
trees found in
tropical areas, including
Mexico,
Central America,
South America, the
Caribbean,
West Africa, and
Southeast Asia. Some species can grow to tall or more, with a straight, largely branchless trunk that culminates in a huge, spreading canopy, and
buttress roots that can be taller than a grown person. The best-known, and most widely cultivated, species is Kapok,
Ceiba pentandra, one of several trees called
kapok.