Baobab (Kremetartboom)

Baobab (Kremetartboom) #

Adansonia digitata

Adansonia digitata

Quick Info #

  • Distribution & habitat: low-lying areas in Africa and Australia – esp. hot, dry bushveld
  • Family: Malvaceae
  • Florescence: October to November/December
  • Fruiting: April to May
  • Leaf habit: deciduous
  • Name origin: named after Michel Adanson, a French scientist who travelled in Senegal between 1749 and 1751. “Digit” refers to a finger and “digitata” to having leaflets at the tip of the stem like fingers on a hand.
  • Other names: boab, boaboa, bottle tree, Cream of Tartar tree, isimuku/umShimulu/isiMuhu (Zulu), lemonade tree, monkey-bread tree, mowana (Tswana), muvhuyu (Venda), tabaldi, upside-down tree, ximuwu (Tsonga)

Description #

The baobab is a protected tree in South Africa and has a distinctive look. The naked trunk of a fully-grown specimen is known for being remarkably thick – potentially reaching the absurd girth of 28 m. Compared to other trees, this is relatively out of proportion to its length, which is reported to reach a maximum of only around 20–25 m. Mammoth as it may become out in the bushveld, it is particularly popular for its charm as a bonsai.

Another notable aesthetic is the rapid taper toward the tips of the short branches. This echoes the trunk’s tendency to taper suddenly. The crown of the tree is wide-spreading, sparse, and roundish to formless. When leafless, the branches collectively look like roots. This is probably where the name “upside-down tree” comes from. The bark is smooth, folded, thick, glossy and greyish.

The leaves are initially uncompounded and later assembled in hand-shaped clusters of 3–9 leaflets. They are densely packed at the ends of branches and usually elongated in shape.

The flower of the baobab hangs upside down (it is pendulous). When picked, it will wilt quickly. It is large and has thick, velvety sepals and crumpled, pure-white petals. The leaves circle a mass of stamens with a crooked style inside. Initially, the picked flower smells sweet – but the smell later changes to that of rotten tomatoes.

The fruit is large, fluffy and pale-green. It generally has a shape similar to that of an egg. It has a woody husk and many bean-shaped seeds embedded in a soft, sour, farinaceous pulp. The tree itself, when it dies, collapses into a pile of filamentous pulp.

Uses & Ecology #

The brobdingnagian stem of the baobab can be hollowed out, either by age or by man. Then, it can be used as a dwelling, storage space for grain or a water tank. Scouts and hunters have found respite in this latter purpose. It is further said that baobab trees have served as prisons, pubs, and shelter from predators.

The pollen can be used to make glue. The soft, white wood can be used to produce paper. The filament obtained from the bark has been used to make baskets, clothes, fishing nets, fishlines, ropes, rugs and sacks. The bark has also been used in traditional medicine.

Knolls at the ends of the roots can be dried and made into porridge. Water can be drawn from the roots themselves, and young roots can be boiled and eaten. The sprout of a young tree can itself be eaten like asparagus.

The fruits are eaten by primates and the leaves and stems by elephants. The elephants strip the bark for sap, which can destroy the trees in some cases (although the trees are generally hardy and are capable of regenerating bark). The tree furthermore provides feed for kudus, nyalas and impalas. At the end of the season, stock will eat the leaves on the ground. Some game and stock even enjoy the fallen flowers.

The fruit pulp can be used in the making of liquor. It can also be mixed with water or milk for a vitamin C-rich beverage. The young leaves are cooked as a green vegetable comparable to spinach – or dried and powdered for later use. The leaves are also said to have been used in the treatment of asthma, insect bites, and kidney and bladder disease. The seeds can be eaten in either a fresh or dry state, or soaked in water for a tasty refreshment that is sometimes used to treat fever. The seeds can even be roasted to substitute coffee.

References #

  • Coates Palgrave, K. & P. & M. (1989) Die Suid-Afrikaanse Boomgids. Johannesburg: Central News Agency.
  • Hankey, A. (2017) Adansonia digitata. Available at: https://pza.sanbi.org/adansonia-digitata (Accessed: 19 September 2025)
  • Letty, C. (1980) Ons eie boomboek. Cape Town: Tafelberg Publishers.
  • Siyabona Africa. (2025) Baobab. Available at: https://www.krugerpark.co.za/africa_baobab.html (Accessed: 19 September 2025)
  • Van Wyk, B & P. (1997) Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa. Cape Town: Struik Publishers.
  • Van Wyk, P. (1988) Veldgids tot die Bome van die Nasionale Krugerwildtuin. Cape Town: Struik Publishers.
  • Venter, F & J.A. (2002) Benut on Inheemse Bome. Pretoria: Briza Publications.

Caution: Consult a qualified health practitioner before considering medically using or ingesting any plant parts. Any mentioned traditional uses are based on cultural practices and anecdotal evidence. They are not necessarily clinically proven or supported by modern scientific studies.