Baobabs, 8 surprising varieties. Stories and growing tips
The Baobab is undoubtedly one of the best-known tropical trees. Perhaps even the most famous.
With its proud bottle tree silhouette overlooking the savannah, it is a symbol of sub-Saharan Africa and part of our common imagination.
Exceptionally long-lived, drought-resistant and full of medicinal virtues, it is at the heart of many African cultures.
We tell you more about this giant of the plains.
The genus Adansonia, the small Baobab family
The bottle tree with the spectacular caudex we commonly call Baobab is actually an Adansonia. Adansonia refers to a genus of tropical trees belonging to the Malvaceae family.
A bit of history
The name is a tribute to Michel Adanson, French botanist and explorer ; who made the first detailed and illustrated botanical study of the African Baobab in 1757. He named the tree Baobab in reference to the work “De plantis Aegypti” by the Venetian physician and botanist Prospero Alpini . In this 1592 book, we find the first description of the variety by a European. He refers to it as “bahobab”, which probably derives from the Arabic word “bu hibab”, meaning fruit with many seeds.
For a long time, it was thought to be a single variety, and the definitive nomenclature of the genus only dates from 1995
Main characteristics of the eight Adansonia species
Differentiating Adansonia species has taken time, as their habit, within the same species, is extremely variable and trees only bear leaves and/or flowers for a short time in the year.
Eight varieties have been identified. One in Africa, seven in Madagascar and one in Australia.
All are adapted to survive particularly harsh dry seasons.
Below are the main characteristics common to all Adansonias:
– Size: Adansonias can reach a height of 40 meters and a trunk diameter of 15 meters.
– Trunk: the trunk is massive and often hollow. Their caudex can hold up to 100,000 liters of water.
– Wood: it is soft, making it unsuitable for making boards or fire. Without this “little flaw”, they would probably have disappeared, as they grow so slowly.
– Bark: the bark is thick and rough. It is generally gray or brownish in color.
– Leaves: The leaves are compound, with 3 to 9 leaflets. They are generally dark green. All Baobabs are deciduous, losing their leaves during the dry season.
– Flowers: large, fragrant flowers. They can be white, yellow, orange, red or pink.
– Fruit: Fruits are woody capsules. They are generally green or brown. They contain many seeds, most of which are edible.
The different baobab varieties
The Adonsonia digitata or African Baobab
Flower: hanging white; fruit: oval; trunk:massive, cylindrical; crown: often regular, rounded.
The only Baobab found naturally on African soil.
It is often located in the center of the village, massive, almost eternal, providing food, medicines and materials. At the heart of a thousand legends, the baobab is a symbol of peace and prosperity.
This is THE African palaver tree. It can be found in all the less dry, less tropical regions of sub-Saharan Africa, from the Sahel in the north to the Transvaal in South Africa. It dominates the coastal plains of Senegal, the woodlands of Namibia and the Nuba mountains (1500m) of Sudan.
Adansonia digitata can reach a height of 30 meters and a trunk diameter of 10 meters. Its trunk is hollow and can hold up to 100,000 liters of water. Its flowers are white and fragrant, and its fruits, known as “monkey bread“, are edible.
It’s a slow-growing tree, but its lifespan is exceptional. Legend has it that some specimens live to be 2000 years old. In reality, it is extremely difficult to date baobabs, as the presence of water rapidly degrades their growth rings.
Its habitat is now under serious threat.
Adonsonia madascariensis - Madagascar baobab
Flower: red; fruit: round; trunk: massive, cylindrical; crown: irregular, rounded
With a height of 15 meters and a diameter of 2, it is found in northern Madagascar and in the Majunga region near water areas. Unlike other Malagasy species, Adonsonia madascariensis is not strictly endemic to Madagascar. It is also found naturally on the island of Mayotte, alongside the African Baobab. In fact, this French department is the only place in the world outside Madagascar where two species of Baobab occur naturally
The Adonsonia grandidieri or Baobab Grandidier
Flower: upright white; fruit: round; trunk: slender, slightly conical; crown: irregular, flattened
With twenty-five meters tall and about 3 meters in diameter, it is the biggest and most famous of Madagascar’s species. Blooms between May and August. It lives in the dry forests of western Madagascar in the Morondava region.
Adansonia grandidieri was made famous by the famous Baobab Alley. Located between Belo sur Tsiribihina (Belon’iTsiribihina) and Morondava, its beauty is unrivalled. And considered a national treasure.
The Adonsonia perrieri or Baobab of Perrier
Flower: yellow; fruit: oblong; trunk: slender, slightly conical; crown: irregular, flattened.
The Adonsonia perrieri can reach heights of over 30 meters, and its flowers are the largest in the genus. Another special feature is the down-covered underside of its matte-green leaves. It is found in the Antsirana region of northern Madagascar.
Unfortunately, it is now endangered.
The Adonsonia suarezensis or Suarez Baobab
Flower: white, upright; fruit: oblong; trunk: slender, cylindrical; crown: irregular, flattened
Also known as Bozilahy, the Adonsonia suarezensis is the rarest of the Baobabs. Its presence is limited to the Antsiranana region in the north of the island (like the Adansonia perrieri). It reaches 10 to 15 meters in height and flowers between May and August.
It too is threatened with extinction
The Adansonia rubrostipa or Fony baobab
Flower: orange; fruit: round; trunk: massive, cylindro-conical; crown: irregularly rounded
The smallest of Madagascar’s baobabs, it stands 4 to 8 meters tall, with a round, bottle-like trunk. Its leaves are distinguished from those of other species by their serrated edges. It flowers from February to May. Its flowers are orange and highly fragrant. It is found in the south of Madagascar in very arid climates.
The Adonsonia za
Flower: orange; fruit: oblong; trunk: massive cylindrical; crown: irregular rounded
Ranging in height from 5 to 20 meters, Adansonia za is still the most widespread Baobab in Madagascar. It is found from Ambanja in the north to Tolagnaro (Fort-Dauphin) in the south. But, as with the other varieties, its population is declining dangerously.
The specimen here is one of the famous baobabs in Madagascar : the Baobab in love.
With its two delicately entwined trunks, it is an authentic plant curiosity.
The Adonsonia gregorii or Australian Baobab, or Boab
Flower: white; fruit: oblong; trunk: massive cylindro-conical; crown: irregularly rounded
Adansonia gregorii is the only Baobab endemic to Australia. Small for its genus, with a maximum height of 10 meters, it is found in its natural state in north-western Australia. The most likely explanation for its unique presence in Oceania? The Boab, as Australians call it, was probably already present in Gondwana before Australia finally separated from Africa 65 million years ago.
Thanks to its ornamental qualities, Adansonia gregorii is also the most suitable for pot cultivation.
During the 19th century, the Boab on the picture below was used as a prison in Derby, Western Australia. Is is now, of course a major tourist attraction.
Baobab, what medicinal virtues?
In Africa, Madagascar or among aborigines, the various parts of the baobab tree – roots, trunk, bark, leaves, pulp, seeds – have long been exploited for therapeutic, nutritional purposes and in traditional pharmacopoeia.
It is used in the preparation of numerous remedies, particularly for digestive problems, but also for its anti-inflammatory virtues.
Today, these uses are often validated by science.
Monkey bread, fruit of the Adansonia digitata, is packed with vitamins C (6 times more than an orange), B1, B2 and B3, as well as antioxidants, carbohydrates, proteins and lipids. The dried pulp is now considered a superfood and is eaten as a powder.
As for the seeds, they contain 15% of an oil rich in essential fatty acids, used in both food and cosmetics!
How to grow a Baobab tree in Europe ?
Great chillers, Baobabs can only be grown in our latitudes in pots or tubs, and must spend the winter in heated rooms (20°C). They are easy and original houseplants. Their cultivation is rather simple.
Baobab, which soil to choose?
It’s particularly important to provide them with a highly draining substrate. A mix of universal potting soil (50%) and perlite or sand (50%) is ideal.
When to repot?
If you buy your Baobab as a young plant, repot it up to twice a year for the first few years, gradually increasing the pot size. Sooner rather than later, you’ll need a deeper pot to allow the taproot to develop properly.
What exposure?
Adansonias tolerate very well the heated universe of our interiors. They will thrive behind glass in a bright room. They’ll appreciate spending summer outdoors. Get them used to full sun gradually.
When is is good to water your baobab ?
From May to October, moderate watering will suffice for them. Repeat the watering without letting the substrate dry out completely.
In October, your baobabs will start to lose their leaves, so it’s important to drastically reduce watering until the following spring
Care
You can’t prune a baobab. However, you can pinch off the tips of young shoots to make it branch out.
It can be attacked by red spiders. Regular rinsing of the foliage and a stay outside in summer are usually enough to get rid of them.
Finally, note that the Baobab is particularly well suited to bonsai cultivation
