Huozhou Cotton

Huozhou Cotton

　　Huozhou Cotton

　　Cotton is the seed fiber of plants in the genus Gossypium of the mallow family, originally native to subtropical regions. The plant is shrub-like and can grow up to 6 meters tall in tropical areas, though it generally reaches 1 to 2 meters. The flowers are milky white and turn deep red shortly after blooming before withering, leaving behind small green capsules known as bolls. Inside the bolls are cotton seeds, and the fine fibers on the seeds grow out from the seed coat, filling the interior of the boll. When the boll matures, it splits open to reveal the soft fibers. The fibers are white to off-white, about 2 to 4 centimeters long, and contain approximately 87–90% cellulose. The top cotton-producing countries include China, the United States, and India.