About Abroma augustum (L.) L.fil.
Abroma is a genus of flowering plants in the family Malvaceae. This genus contains just one species, Abroma augustum (L.) L.fil., which is sometimes incorrectly written as Abroma augusta. It is commonly known by the name devil's cotton. Devil's cotton is a shrub or tree native to tropical Asia, with a distribution that extends from the Himalayas and southern China, through Indochina and Malesia, all the way to New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. Abroma augustum produces dark red flowers that have a distinctive, unusual appearance. Both its leaves and stems are covered in soft bristly hairs that cause severe skin irritation when touched. The bark of this plant produces a fiber similar in character to jute. It is used as a traditional medicinal plant. When grown in greenhouses, Abroma augustum blooms from late spring to early summer. Its dark maroon flowers develop in terminal panicles, and individual flowers can reach up to 3 inches (7.5 cm) across. This species is propagated from seed. Seeds germinate within 21 to 30 days when held at a temperature of 72 °F (24 °C).
