Icons of the African savanna, the dry forests of Madagascar, and Australia’s Kimberley region, baobabs are trees like no other. With its bulbous shape and a canopy that resembles an upside-down root system, the baobab tree is an iconic symbol of the African continent.
A thick, bottle-like trunk rises to support spindly branches. The baobab is not just one tree, but nine species in the genus Adansonia. Two are native to mainland Africa, six to Madagascar, and one to Australia. All nine inhabit low-lying, arid regions.
The most famous baobab species is called Adansonia digitata. It is the baobab tree that grows across the savannas of Africa. It is named after a French botanist Michel Adanson, the first scientist to describe it. This baobab can grow to be more than 25 meters (80 feet) tall.
The genus Adansonia is further divided into three sections. Section Adansonia includes only A. digitata. This is the type species for the genus Adansonia. All species of Adansonia except A. digitata are diploid; A. digitata is tetraploid.
The mainland African species (Adansonia digitata) also occurs on Madagascar, but it is not a native of that island.
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10 Fascinating Facts About the Baobab Tree #facts #baobabtree
Distribution and Habitat
In sub-Saharan Africa, you find baobabs rising above hot, dry scrublands and savannas. In Madagascar, baobabs are important members of the dry deciduous forests in the western part of the island. In Australia-where they are known as boabs-they stand sentry in open savanna woodlands.
What do all these regions have in common? A short wet season and long, hot, dry season.
The Malagasy species are important components of the Madagascar dry deciduous forests. Within that biome, Adansonia madagascariensis and A. rubrostipa occur specifically in the Anjajavy Forest, sometimes growing out of the tsingy limestone itself. A. digitata has been called "a defining icon of African bushland".
The tree also grows wild in Sudan in the regions of Darfur and the state of Kordofan.
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As of July 2020, there are eight recognized species of Adansonia, with six endemic to Madagascar, one native to mainland Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, and one native to Australia. Baobabs were introduced in ancient times to south Asia and during the colonial era to the Caribbean.
Here is a list of the accepted species of Adansonia:
- Adansonia digitata L.
- Adansonia gregorii F.Muell.
- Adansonia madagascariensis Baill.
- Adansonia rubrostipa Jum. & H.Perrier
All occur in seasonally arid areas, and are deciduous, shedding their leaves during the dry season.
The African baobab (A. digitata) has a vast range throughout the arid parts of Africa; six additional species are native to the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar, off south-east Africa; and an eighth species is native to north-west Australia.
Characteristics of Baobab Trees
Baobabs are long-lived deciduous, small to large trees from 5 to 30 m (20 to 100 ft) tall with broad trunks and compact crowns. Young trees usually have slender, tapering trunks, often with a swollen base. Mature trees have massive trunks that are bottle-shaped or cylindrical and tapered from bottom to top.
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The trunk is made of fibrous wood arranged in concentric rings, although rings are not always formed annually and so cannot be used to determine the age of individual trees. Tree diameter fluctuates with rainfall so it is thought that water may be stored in the trunk.
Baobab trees have two types of shoots-long, green vegetative ones, and stout, woody reproductive ones. Adansonia gregorii is generally the smallest of the baobabs, rarely getting to over 10 m (33 ft) tall and often with multiple trunks. Both A. rubrostipa and A. madagascariensis are small to large trees, from 5 to 20 m (16 to 66 ft) tall. The other baobabs grow from 25 to 30 m (80 to 100 ft) tall, with 2 to 3 m (7 to 10 ft) diameter trunks.
Leaves are palmately compound in mature trees, but seedlings and regenerating shoots may have simple leaves. The transition to compound leaves comes with age and may be gradual. Leaves have 5-11 leaflets, with the largest ones in the middle and may be stalkless or with short petioles. Leaflets may have toothed or smooth edges, and may be hairless or have simple-to-clumped hairs. Baobabs have stipules at the base of the leaves, but the stipules are soon shed in most species.
In most Adansonia species, the flowers are borne on short erect or spreading stalks in the axils of the leaves near the tips of reproductive shoots. Only A. digitata has flowers and fruits set on long, hanging stalks. There is usually only a single flower in an axil, but sometimes flowers occur in pairs. They are large, showy and strongly scented. They only open near dusk. Opening is rapid and movement of the flower parts is fast enough to be visible. Flowers may remain attached to the trees for several days, but the reproductive phase is very short, with pollen shed during the first night and stigmas shriveled by the morning.
The flower is made up of an outer 5-lobed calyx, and an inner ring of petals set around a fused tube of stamens. The outer lobes of the calyx are usually green (brown in A. grandidieri) and in bud are joined almost to the tip. As the flower opens, the calyx lobes split apart and become coiled or bent back (reflexed) at the base of the flower. The inner surface of the lobes are silky-hairy and cream, pink, or red.
The fruit of the baobabs is one of their distinguishing features. It is large, oval-to-round, and berry-like in most species (usually less than 10 centimetres (3.9 in) long in A. madagascariensis). It has a dry, hard outer shell of variable thickness. In most species, the shell is indehiscent (does not break open easily). A. gibbosa is the only species with fruits that crack while still on the tree, which then tend to break open upon landing on the ground.
The white pith in the fruit of the Australian baobab (A. gregorii) tastes like sherbet. It has an acidic, tart, citrus flavor. It is a good source of vitamin C, potassium, carbohydrates, and phosphorus.
The baobab is deciduous, meaning that it loses its leaves for some of the year. The baobab is actually leafless for as much as 9 months a year. The branches of the baobab cluster at the top of the tree and look like roots when they are in their leafless state.
The bulbous trunk of a baobab-a site of water storage-is usually more or less cylindrical. In some varieties it is more irregular, with folds that channel rain and dew. Creases and hollows provide homes for small reptiles, insects, and bats. Rather short, stout branches are gnarled and twiggy at the tips-and bare of leaves much of the year. These trees are drought-deciduous: they drop their leaves during the dry season, an adaptation for conserving water. Leaf shape ranges from simple ovate leaves to palmate leaves with five to seven finger-like leaflets (in A. Each large flower-a mass of stamens surrounded by petals that range from white to orange (depending on species)-hangs from a long stalk. The fragrant flowers open at night. Each one lasts for only about a day, but while in bloom, its plentiful supply of nectar attracts nocturnal pollinators, such as fruit bats, and moths and other insects. Fruits are large, egg-shaped capsules that (in some species) can be nearly 8 inches (20 centimeters) long. Eventually, the outer shell becomes hard and woody, and covered with fuzzy brownish hairs. Unless a monkey or a person comes along to eat it, a seedpod hangs on a tree intact until it blows off in the wind.
Baobabs store water in the trunk (up to 120,000 litres or 32,000 US gallons) to endure harsh drought conditions.
Radiocarbon dating has provided data on a few individuals of A. digitata. The Panke baobab in Zimbabwe was some 2,450 years old when it died in 2011, making it the oldest angiosperm ever documented, and two other trees-Dorslandboom in Namibia and Glencoe in South Africa-were estimated to be approximately 2,000 years old. Another specimen known as Grootboom was dated and found to be at least 1,275 years old.
Baobabs have among the lightest wood for any tree. Balsa wood is well known to model aeroplane makers as one of the lightest and softest woods, with a wood density that averages around 0.15 g/cm³, yet baobab wood is even lighter, averaging 0.13 g/cm³.
Here is a table summarizing the characteristics of some notable baobab trees:
| Tree Name | Species | Location | Circumference (m) | Diameter (m) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glencoe Baobab | A. digitata | Limpopo Province, South Africa | 47 | 15.9 |
| Sagole Baobab | A. digitata | Tshipise, South Africa | N/A | 10.47 |
The Sagole Baobab (also Sagole Big Tree, Venda: Muri kunguluwa, lit. 'tree that roars', or Muvhuyu wa Makhadzi) is a Champion Tree and the largest baobab tree (Adansonia digitata) in South Africa. This became the stoutest tree in South Africa after two other large baobabs, the Glencoe and Sunland Baobabs, collapsed in 2009 and 2016 respectively. The Sagole Baobab has the largest size and retains the appearance of a single tree.
Adansonia digitata at Mapungubwe National Park.
Ecological Role
Nicknamed the “tree of life,” baobabs play a key role in their ecosystem. They help keep soil conditions humid, promote nutrient recycling, and prevent soil erosion. And, they are an important source of food, water, and shelter for various birds, reptiles, and insects. In fact, a mature baobab tree creates its own ecosystem.
They provide homes and food for many species of animals. The interior of the baobab stores water, a very valuable commodity in hot and dry savanna ecosystems.
When a pollen-covered bat flies to the next baobab flower for its nectar snack, it pollinates that flower. When the flower is pollinated it develops a large fruit around the seeds. The fruit drops to the ground. There it becomes a menu item for elephants, black rhinos, and antelope like elands.
Adansonia gregorii fruit.
Uses of Baobab Trees
Across Africa, many people eat most parts of the baobab-including roots and small sprouts. People boil and eat the leaves, and even flowers are edible. Mixed with water, the powdery fruit pulp makes a refreshing drink. People snack on roasted seeds or use them to brew a coffee-like drink. Foliage sometimes serves as fodder for livestock.
With the tree’s fibrous bark, mats, ropes, baskets, paper, cloth, nets, and fishing lines are made.
As much as wildlife depends on the baobab tree (and vice-versa), so do humans. Not only is the fruit’s sour brown pulp edible and nutritious, but soak it in water and it becomes a refreshing drink. People who live around baobab trees will roast and grind its fruits’ seeds to produce a beverage akin to coffee, or boil the tree’s leaves and eat them like spinach. The tree’s bark is the basis for everything from paper and cloth to ropes and baskets. People also used it to make waterproof hats and musical instrument strings.
The leaves are edible and are rich in vitamin C, sugars, calcium, and potassium. They can be cooked like spinach or dried and stored for later use. The large fruit that dries on the tree is extremely versatile and beneficial. Indian Ocean sailors used to pack the fruit for their voyages as, when fresh, the pulp is high in vitamin C, antioxidants, and key minerals. When dried, it forms a powder which can be boiled to make a broth or tea. Finally, the black seeds of the baobab tree can be roasted and used as a coffee substitute.
In Angola, the dry fruit of A. digitata is usually boiled, and the broth is used for juices or as the base for a type of ice cream known as gelado de múcua. In Zimbabwe, the fruit of A. digitata is eaten fresh or the crushed crumbly pulp is stirred into porridge and drinks. In Tanzania, the dry pulp of A. The seeds of some species are a source of vegetable oil. The fruit pulp and seeds of A. grandidieri and A. Some baobab species are sources of fiber, dye, and fuel. Indigenous Australians used the native species A.
Cultural Significance and Mythology
Baobab trees hold cultural and spiritual significance in many African societies. In the novel The Little Prince, the titular character takes care to root out baobabs that try to grow on his tiny planet home.
Along the Zambezi River, some tribes believed that one day their gods became angry, ripped the baobab from the ground, and tossed it up into the air, resulting in its inverted-like appearance. In another tale, God gifted the baobab to a hyena. Whatever way the baobab came to be, it’s undoubtedly a remarkable specimen.
Throughout the Zambezi, Indigenous communities note the baobab for its branches that seem to span out in all directions like roots. Local legend says the baobabs were too proud, so the gods became angry and uprooted them and threw them back into the ground upside-down.
In Madagascar, the Malagasy people believe that baobab trees hold the spirits of their ancestors. They are, therefore, sacred sites, and permission from the ancestors is needed to visit the most sacred trees.
Many myths and folklore stories surround baobabs in Africa. The San bushmen believe that spirits inhabit the large, sweetly scented flowers, and anyone who plucks them will be torn apart by lions. There are many origin stories of the baobab. They all follow a similar narrative. In one, god rips up the ugly tree from his garden and tosses it over the wall, where it lands crown first on earth with its roots sticking up in the air. In another story, God is planting trees and asks the animals to help. Each animal is given a tree, and a hyena, who arrives late, is given the baobab. In another story, the first baobab grew beside a small lake, towering above other trees. One day, it saw its reflection in the water, revealing its huge, wrinkled trunk, tiny leaves, and pale flowers. Upset, the baobab began complaining incessantly to the Creator, asking why it wasn't elegant like the palm or adorned with bright flowers like the flame tree. The baobab's relentless whining exasperated the Creator, who, to silence the baobab, yanked it from the ground and replanted it upside down.
Baobab trees along Baobab Alley at sunset near Morondava, Madagascar.
Threats and Conservation
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) evaluates the conservation status of plant and animal species, with the particular goal of identifying those at risk of extinction. The results are published in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The IUCN has assessed six of the nine baobabs. It lists three of the Madagascar species as Endangered and the other three Madagascar species as Near Threatened.
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is an agreement that guides international trade in specimens of wildlife. CITES creates lists, or appendices, for plants and animals for which trade controls are necessary. CITES lists one Madagascar baobab, A.
Experts have noted a rapid increase in baobab deaths in southern Africa. Of the continent’s 13 largest baobabs, 9 have collapsed and died. The cause is unclear, but scientists suspect that global climate change may be playing a role in the demise of these trees.
Many scientists believe that climate change is killing Africa’s oldest and largest baobab trees, the result of more frequent weather anomalies like floods and lightning storms. WWF’s assessment of the vulnerability of African elephants regarding climate change shows that their biggest concern is having enough fresh water.
Madagascar, which is home to six of the world’s 9 baobab species, has experienced massive deforestation, losing approximately 235 thousand hectares of tree cover from 2010 through 2021. WWF’s Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) in Africa is an initiative helping to restore forests and forest landscapes across 9 African countries, including Madagascar.
In the early 21st century, baobabs in southern Africa began to die off rapidly and mysteriously-the cause is yet to be determined.
