Although not taken recently, I want to show this tree. It is called a Kapok Tree and has a very spikey trunk. It looses it leaves when winter comes and then blooms before getting its leaves back. It has pink flowers and covers the whole tree, so whether you have one or many together, its a wonderful sight.
The tree before loosing its leaves 
The tree in full bloom
Seen from a distance
What an unusual tree, love your first shot, that bark is mighty spikey !! and the angle you’ve used really shows off those spikes, excellent.
These are really great shots – I’ve never seen one of these trees, they are quite beautiful and unique. Your blog is not only lovely to look at, but also an education!
it is first visit your blog very very beautiful i like this tree
Great shots. What a tree!
How beautiful! I think I have seen this trunk at my local college grounds…will have to check it out at bloom time! Very odd trunk, eh??? Makes me think of a stegosaurus in a way. LOL.
OH!!! what a beautifil pink! that tree really protects it blossoms!!! WOW !
I live in Los Angeles, and we have these trees everywhere. Beautiful trees. They attract parrots, who eat the seeds in the Kapok fruit. Makes the parrots very happy, they chatter and squawk as they eat.
I love the Kapok Tree and am always in awe of it's unique bark and beautiful flowers. Thanks for sharing your photos from South Africa.
it look bi-polar or something, it's like from far “look at all my beautifull pink flower, WEEEEE” from close it's more like ” I dare you to hug me B****H!”
This is not a Kapok tree. It is a Chorisia speciosa. http://www.floridata.com/ref/c/chor_spe.cfm
Dear Anonymous. If you look at the link that you have posted you will see that the common name for a Chorisia speciosa is a Silk Floss Tree or, indeed, a Kapok Tree.
I have one of these. It started off as just a stick when I got it and now its 5' tall. I am afraid to plant it in the ground it has so many thrones on it.I hope it blooms as pretty as this one in your picture. I love this tree.
We are going to plant a arboretum of these trees…I love them with their beautiful pink canopy….Please tell me what kind of soil conditions do they like and what “food” must one feed them…We have about ten trees to plant out which are over about a meter and a half….Also we have one that we planted a year and a half ago and it has grown so slow? Thanking you in advance….
I just took a couple of photos of the tree at one of the places I visited and did a quick bit of research on the internet for the post, but more I unfortunately don't know. Sorry.