Evergreen plant Balsa, Balsa wood

Balsa wood is known for being both light and strong. This makes it useful in many areas, like building and arts. People now plant balsa trees at home because they look nice.

The balsa tree, or Ochroma pyramidale, grows fast. In six months, it can grow to about one inch wide and ten inches tall. After six to ten years, it can be cut down. At that point, it will be about 50 to 65 feet tall.

If balsa trees grow too long, the wood gets hard. The center of the tree starts to rot. This means less good wood can be used.

Balsa trees can lose leaves or stay green. Their bark is smooth and grey-white. They can grow to about 130 feet tall.

Balsa leaves look like big grape leaves. Young trees have leaves about four inches wide. Older trees have leaves up to 16 inches wide. The leaves have slight lobes.

Balsa trees have simple leaves, unlike many jungle trees. This makes them easy to spot.

The tree's fruit is a green pod. Inside are cotton-like threads called kapok. The seeds are inside the kapok.

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