African baobab tree

The Baobab - Storehouse of Life

Number of seeds: 6  / Botanical name: Adansonia digitata

The African baobab (Adansonia digitata) is arguably the quintessential tree of southern tropical Africa. Its local name, baobab, originates from the Arabic word bu-hubub. For Senegal, the baobab is so important and characteristic that it is even featured on the national coat of arms. In its natural habitat, the baobab can live up to 4,000 years – a remarkable age comparable to ancient giant cypress trees in the forests of North America's west coast. Its relatively short but massive trunks even exceed the circumference of the North American redwood and store large quantities of water for the dry season. During this time, the tree also sheds its leaves to protect itself from dehydration. The crown of the Adansonia consists of strong, gnarled branches that form a wide, spreading canopy. When leafless, the branch crown resembles a root system, which has contributed to the myth that the baobab is a tree planted upside down by the devil. Baobab trees are extremely rare as plants in the trade. However, they can be easily grown from seed and cultivated as potted plants up to 2 meters tall.

Natural habitat: Baobab trees are widespread in large parts of Africa (A. digitata), on the island of Madagascar, and in Australia (A. gregorii).