Fluffy cotton balls flying during the fall may have spiked your thought, “does cotton grow on trees.”
The cotton plant (Gossypium) bears flowers in the spring and takes a long growing season to develop the seed pod.
So, if you are curious about where your cloth’s cotton came from, go through this entire article.
Table of Contents Show
Is Cottonwood The Same As Cotton?
The soft and white seeds in the cottonwood plant may confuse most people with a cotton plant.
However, despite the similar names, the cotton Plant is not the same as cottonwood.
Moreover, the white substance that resembles cotton is not a real cotton fiber used in fabrics.
The cotton fibers you use to make the cotton fabric are from the cotton plant. You can find those fibers on the small pods that grow on cotton plants.
The light and fluffy seeds on cottonwood plant flying in the air is to disperse the seed easily by wind.
Does Cotton Grow On Trees?
The cotton bolls that look like cotton balls and grow in groups.
Besides, the cotton plant that bears these bolls is actually a shrub. These cotton shrubs can grow up to 6 feet tall.
When this shrub matures, it produces flowers of white or pink color. Later, these flowers change into cotton bolls.
These bolls are the seed pods of cotton plants that contain natural cotton fibres. Once these seed pods develop fully, the cotton fibers come out of the seed pod.
The cotton grows on a shrub, not a tree, depending on the variety.
How To Harvest Cotton?
You must harvest ripe cotton seed pods in late summer or early fall. Make sure the bolls are fully mature.
Also, you can harvest these seed pods using Mechanical and Manual harvesting methods.
- Firstly, defoliate the shrub to remove cotton from the plant easily.
- Pick cotton seed pods using a cotton picker machine or using specific gloves.
- Place the seed pods on the basket carefully for further processing.
- Convert the seed pods into a rectangular module and take them to the gin machine.
- As cotton fibers have a lot of seeds, ginning will separate the fiber and seeds.
- Clean the cotton fibers, and dry them before compressing.
- Pack the fibers and send them to the fabric industry.
From Editorial Team
Factors To Consider Before Harvesting Cotton Bolls!
Before harvesting cotton bolls, you must make sure the bolls are mature and the fiber is dry. Also, the weather must be sunny.
Moreover, use the machine to harvest the bolls if your field occupies a large area with cotton varieties bearing small pods.
