World Plants

Adansonia digitata (African Baobab)

Family	Malvaceae
Genus	Adansonia
Species	digitata
Category	Tropicals, Woody
Type	Tree (deciduous)
Origin	Africa and India.
Ethnobotanical Uses Disclaimer	The pulp from the fruit is high in antioxidants and has three times the vitamin C content of oranges. Dried pulp may be dissolved in water or milk to make a refreshing drink and is occasionally used in cereal bars and smoothies. Cooking oil may be extracted from the seed but this process is rare. Oil meal, the waste product of the extraction process, may also be used as animal feed. The young leaves can be eaten as a relish and can also be fed to ruminant animals as fodder.

USDA Hardiness Zone	13a - 13b
USDA Hardiness Ref.
Canadian Hardiness Zone	Cool season protection under glass.
Canada Hardiness Ref.
RHS Hardiness Zone	H1a
RHS Hardiness Ref.
Temperature (°C)	15
Temperature (°F)	59
Height	10 - 25 m
Spread	30 - 38 m
Growth	Medium
Flowering Period	October, November, December

General Description	The baobab tree has a very thick trunk, with tiny branches on top. There’s a local tale that states the tree was actually planted upside down.
ID Characteristic	Swollen trunk about 10 - 25 m in height, often with a bole of 3 - 10 m. Cylindrical fruit.
Shape	Upright rounded crown.
Propagation	Propagation by seed.
Cultivation	Very drought-tolerant and prefers dry, arid conditions. It should be grown in areas with well-drained soils that have an acidic pH.
Notable Specimens	Royal Park Rajapruek, Mae Hia, Thailand.
Habitat	Dry, low altitude, low-lying areas.
Bark/Stem Description	Firm rugged bark.
Leaf Description	New leaves will have 2 - 3 leaflets. As the tree matures it will increase to anywhere from 5 - 9 leaflets. May be sessile to shortly petiolate.
Flower Description	The flowers are white in colour, hang down rather loosely, and are sized up to 200 mm in diameter. The scent of the flower, as stated above, can be very sweet. The petals of the flower are very thin, and are wavy in form..
Fruit Description	Fruit is cylindrical or egg-like in shape, and is coloured green to brown. The pod itself is covered in brown-yellow hairs. The shell surrounding the fruit is woody and hard, and the substance inside is an off-white, dry, powdery substance when ripe. The seeds further in the fruit are kidney bean-shaped, black, and have a hard exterior.
Colour Description	Pale brown bark. New growth is a reddish-brown colour which pales and toughens with age.