Slide 1

The Baobabs: Pachycauls of Africa, Madagascar and Australia.

(Pachycaul : Any of several primitive tropicaltreesthat have a thick stem and few or no branches)

Common names: baobab, Cream of Tartar tree, monkey-bread tree, lemonade tree .Adansonia Digitata

The Baobab tree is peculiar to look at.

It can grow up to 25 metres and can live for thousands of years. Its hollow and huge trunk preserves rainwater. The trees are known as living reservoirs as an average tree can store roughly 5,000 litres of water. In the draught hit parts of Africa people draw water from this tree.

Baobabs can survive in harsh climates because they store water inside their swollen trunks (in amounts up to 120,000 litres (32,000 U.S. gallons). The leaves are commonly consumed as a leaf vegetable throughout mainland African. The fruit is also extremely nutritious. The nutritional and medicinal characteristics of the baobab are attracting the attention of agricultural and pharmaceutical corporations. In Africa, the baobab tree is steeped in mystique and surrounded by superstition. Many people believe that its spirit protects the community around it, and its tangible properties certainly nourish those who live near it. Parts of the tree are used to make rope and fishing line; to feed goats, sheep and cows; and to provide shelter, food and medicine.

Apparently whole species of insects and birds can live in the tree and never leave during their life span. And the tree is a favourite of elephants - if the trees aren't protected, elephants will dismantle and consume an entire tree!.

Africans consider the baobab tree a miracle of nature. Botanically, the baobab tree is from the genus Adansonia, which contains eight species of trees (six native to Madagascar, one native to mainland Africa, and one native to Australia). The trees vary in size but some are enormous. The largest known specimen is found in South Africa. It has a circumference of 47 meters (150 ft) and an average diameter of 15 meters (49 ft). Some species grow as tall as 30 meters (100 ft). The trees also live for a long time. One source claims, "Many still standing today have certainly been around since the birth of Christ; others for far longer."

The exact age of baobab trees is difficult to determine because the tree does not produce annual growth rings. The wood itself is too fibrous for structural use but the bark is shredded into strands of fibre for use as rope, baskets, nets, snares and cloth. The baobab is often called the "upside down tree" because its branches look similar to a root system and normally sit atop the truck. As the attached pictures show, however, baobab trees can take many forms and shapes. So why would a corporate blog that deals with development, resilience, connectivity, and innovation concern itself with a tree? The answer is that the world is just discovering the tree and it may become a valuable natural resource for some African countries.

It remains leafless for 9 months and may look like a tree uprooted and put upside down.

Grandidiers Baobab(Adansonia grandidieri)This imposing and unusual tree occurs only on the island of Madagascar, where it is threatened by the encroachment of agricultural land. There are eight species of baobabs, six of which are endemic to Madagascar;Adansonia grandidieriis the strangest and most magnificent of them all. They have massive cylindrical trunks, up to three meters across, covered with smooth, reddish-grey bark. At certain times of the year the flat-topped crowns bear bluish-greenleaves, dark brown floral buds or spectacular flowers with white petals. The large, dry fruits of the baobab contain kidney-shaped seeds within an edible pulp.

Grandidiers BaobabThe crown jewels of Madagascar, the Grandidier's Baobab is the grandest of the 6 Baobab species found in Madagascar. The cylindrical trunk can grow up to 3 meters in diameter and tower up to 25 meters in height with a beautiful crown of leaves at the top. The sight of these trees anchor your legs on the ground and stand in awe. The Grandidier's Baobab also make good bonsai plants.

Derby baobab, Western AustraliaAdansonia gregorii(syn.A. gibbosa) Boab or Australian Baobab (northwest Australia)

Skalny Baobab koo Wyndham / Rock Boab near Wyndham

A living evidence for early Arab contacts with Sri Lanka is the Baobab tree (Adansonia digitata) which is called Perukka maram in Tamil. This tree which was brought by the Arabs from Africa, is widely found in the Mannar region.

The tree shown in the photograph, is found near Pa'l'limunai mosque of Mannaar, is judged by its girth, to be around 800 years old. A settlement of a Muslim trade guild calledAgnchuva'n'naththaarat Maanthai in Mannaar, is recorded in a 12th century inscription.

Baobab Nani-young Baobabs

Baobab Bonsai

Baobab Bonsai

Baobab Bonsai

The delicate & tissue-like Baobab flower.

Almost all parts of this tree are useful. The leaves and fruits make nutrition rich food.

The trees white, powdery fruit is rich in antioxidants, potassium and phosphorus, and has six times as much vitamin C as oranges and twice as much calcium as milk. The leaves are an excellent source of iron, potassium, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum and phosphorus, and the seeds are packed with protein.

breaking open a Baobab

Glencoe Baobabis the stoutest and second largestbaobabin South Africa (the first being the Sagole Baobab), possibly the stoutest tree in the world. The tree is located in Glencoe Farm, nearHoedspruit,Limpopo Provinceand had a trunk diameter 15.9 metres.The tree close to the ground divides in several trunks as the main trunk long ago has levered itself to the ground. In November 2009 the tree split in two parts, opening up an enormous hollow. It is highly possible that the tree is close to the end of its life.The diameter of the tree before the split was 15.9 metres, circumference - 47 metres. Other parameters are less impressive though - the height is just 17 metres, spread of crown - 37.05 m.Legends about the treasure in the trunk create danger to the remote tree.

Sunland Nursery. The Worlds biggest Baobab

A hollow Baobab, known as Sunland Baobab, serving as a bar attracting tourists in Modjadjiskloof in Limpopo Province, South Africa. The tree is estimated to be 6,000 years old.

The Sunland Baobab Bar inside the hollow trunk of the tree, which can accommodate more than 60 people.

Music : Keiko Matsui ~ TreesTrinity2010