Ceiba insignis

Native to southern Ecuador and northern Peru, this deciduous tree in the mallow family grows about 33 feet tall in seasonally dry forests. Its swollen trunk bears stout prickles, and its leaves are divided into five to seven leaflets. Large white to pale pink flowers have a yellowish base and sometimes reddish streaks. The flowers open in the evening. Smooth, pear-shaped fruit capsules split open when dry, releasing seeds surrounded by silky white fibers that have been used as stuffing. Photographed in Florida.