“Baobabs have somehow become our favorite trees in Africa, they are simply spectacular,” says Doreen Gericke about the fascinating giants. I met her and her husband Gerhard Huebner in the “Bergisches Land” in Germany far away from their home Berlin.
At that time I was invited to attend a “Pfingst-Braai” – a special barbecue in Engelskirchen. Namibia fans from near and far gather to participate at the meeting for an extended exchange of travel plans and insider information about the southern African region. Certainly the two from Berlin have to be there.
After my photo presentation featuring one of my journeys to Baobab country we got into a little conversation. The little Baobab I brought to the presentation with me for visualization purposes seemed to have inspired their interest. Later on they bought their own baobab sapling originating from Senegal. In the meantime it sprouted leaves and looks very healthy in their office. Baobab at Mapungubwe, Gerhard Hübner Baobab at Mapungubwe, Gerhard Hübner Baobabs at Mapungubwe, Gerhard Hübner Baobab at Mapungubwe, Gerhard Hübner Baobab at Mapungubwe, Gerhard Hübner
They saw their first “wild” Baobabs some years ago in the north of South Africa during one of their journeys. The landscape in Mapungubwe National Park with some outstanding baobabs particularly impressed them. And they went to see the Baobabs in the north of the Kruger National Park. However, real enthusiasm for the trees becomes evident as the two start talking about the trees they saw in Madagascar.
Doreen and Gerhard spent almost four weeks on the island in 2014. Gerhard called it the “Madagascar route for beginners” for tourists. The road conditions are very difficult as is orientating oneself since there are hardly any reliable maps or signs around, as Gerhard tells me.
The baobab tree is an iconic tree species of the African savannas. With their massive trunks and relatively small crowns, they look almost like nature decided to plant them upside down! Baobabs are also sometimes called “monkey bread trees” or “upside-down trees” because of their unique appearance.
There are actually 8 different species of baobab trees, all belonging to the Adansonia genus. Six of these species are endemic to Madagascar, one is native to mainland Africa and Arabia, and one species is native to Australia.
Let’s explore the different baobab tree types and how to identify them:
African Baobab (Adansonia digitata)
The African baobab is the most widespread baobab species found across mainland Africa. It has a thick cylindrical trunk with grayish bark that is sometimes rough and warty. The leaves are palmately compound with 5-7 leaflets. The flowers are large and white with petals about as long as they are wide. The fruit is variable in shape, covered in velvety hairs, and filled with whitish pulp and large seeds.
Elephants love to eat the nutritious bark and fruit of the African baobab and help disperse the seeds. The African baobab can live over 2000 years! Sadly many of the oldest largest specimens have died in recent years.
Grandidier’s Baobab (Adansonia grandidieri)
This species is endemic to Madagascar. It has a massive cylindrical trunk up to 10 feet across with smooth reddish-gray bark. The leaves have 9-11 leaflets and are an unusual bluish-green color. The flowers are large with partly fused petals. The fruit is large and roundish, filled with reddish-brown hairs.
Grandidier’s baobab is endangered due to loss of habitat and lack of regeneration. Livestock often graze on the seedlings, preventing the population from recovering.
Perrier’s Baobab (Adansonia perrieri)
Perrier’s baobab is a rare species found only in northern Madagascar. It has a cylindrical, pale gray trunk and leaves with 5-11 leaflets. The flowers are enormous, blooming at dusk and wilting by morning. The fruits are oblong with a tough outer layer.
With less than 250 mature trees left, Perrier’s baobab is critically endangered. Its limited habitat is threatened by development and agriculture.
Za Baobab (Adansonia za)
This Madagascar native has a brownish-pink trunk that tapers toward the top. Its leaves have 5-8 leaflets. The flowers emerge after the leaves with yellow and red petals that smell sweet. The fruits are large and oval.
The Za baobab is used by locals for food, fiber, and water storage. It dominates southern Madagascar forests but is declining due to habitat loss.
Madagascar Baobab (Adansonia madagascariensis)
The Madagascar baobab has a bottle-shaped or cylindrical trunk with smooth pale gray bark. Its leaves have 5-7 leaflets. The fragrant flowers are dark red with yellow stamens. The fruits are small and round.
Locals eat the leaves as a vegetable and use the powdered fruit pulp to flavor and thicken foods. The Madagascar baobab tolerates more moisture than other species.
Fony Baobab (Adansonia rubrostipa)
Usually growing less than 65 feet tall, the fony baobab is the smallest baobab species. It has a bottle-shaped trunk with peeling reddish-brown bark. The leaves have just 3-5 leaflets with toothed margins. The flowers are bright yellow-orange. The fruits are round with thin, reddish-brown outer shells.
The strong inner bark is used to make rope. Fony baobab is declining due habitat destruction in its native southwest Madagascar.
Australian Baobab (Adansonia gregorii)
Also called the boab, this baobab is native to Australia. It has a bulbous bottle-shaped trunk up to 16 feet across. The leaves have 5-11 leaflets. The huge white flowers open only at night. The fruits are large and oval with olive-brown hairs.
The Australian baobab is closely related to the African baobab and may have been brought to Australia thousands of years ago. It tolerates a variety of harsh environmental conditions.
Suarez Baobab (Adansonia suarezensis)
This rare Madagascar native has a thick cylindrical trunk and few, completely horizontal branches forming a flat canopy. Its leaves have 6-9 leaflets. The large white flowers smell strongly and bloom at night. The long pointed fruits weigh up to 2.2 lbs.
The Suarez baobab is endangered by logging and fungal disease. Bats are likely important pollinators of its nocturnal flowers.
“Baobabs – Icons of the Savannah”
Publication available in English and German. For more information click on the photo, please.
Seven Species of Baobabs in Madagascar
They are similar to the baobabs of the genus Adansonia digitata, which also occurs in Madagascar. However, they are smaller and have yellow instead of white flowers. They are also known under the name Adansonia fony.
In addition to Adansonia rubrostipa and Adansonia digitata, there are five more baobab species endemic on Madagascar:
• Adansonia grandidieri • Adansonia madagascariensis • Adansonia za • Adansonia perrieri • Adansonia suarezensis
Interestingly, the different species grow in different places on the island. Science is at odds with the origin of the Baobabs: ideas range from the trees originating on the African continent, on Madagascar, in Australia, or even in Latin America.
Doreen and Gerhard have brought beautiful photographs from their Madagascar journeys. Gerhard took photographs “with a normal SLR camera – nothing special,” as he describes it. He particularly seems to like the technical aspects and that sounds rather advanced in the application: every now and then and if the motive allows he works with nodal points for a very special panorama effect.
To accomplish this, one has to adjust the camera-lens design so that everything revolves around the “correct” point. This allows to “sew up” the s later at the computer. Ultimately, a program calculates the photos as desired – “but only if you have done everything right before, otherwise a kink shows in the picture,” the photographer says. The two co-authored the book “The Heart of Madagaskar” (in GERMAN) where some of their photographs can be seen.
For Doreen and Gerhard, Baobabs are among their favorite trees in Africa and to them Madagascar is definitely worth more than a single trip. During their next visit they plan to see the world famous Baobab Avenue near Morondava.
13 Fascinating Facts About Baobab Trees
FAQ
How many different species of baobab trees are there?
What is the difference between a boab tree and a baobab tree?
Which baobab tree is the thickest?
Can you grow a baobab tree in the US?
How many types of baobab trees are there?
The genus Adansonia, commonly referred to as the baobab tree, is divided into nine species, which are found only in Madagascar, Africa, Australia, and the Arabian Peninsula. Six of the nine species of baobab are native to Madagascar. Only one of the nine species is native to Australia, while two species are native to mainland Africa and Arabia. 9.
Where do African baobabs grow?
Ophelus sitularius Lour. Adansonia digitata, the African baobab, is the most widespread tree species of the genus Adansonia, the baobabs, and is native to the African continent and the southern Arabian Peninsula (Yemen, Oman). These are long-lived pachycauls; radiocarbon dating has shown some individuals to be over 2,000 years old.
How old is a baobab tree?
Baobab tree (Adansonia digitata) in Kenya. Gourdlike fruit of the baobab tree (Adansonia digitata). The African baobab ( A. digitata) boasts the oldest known angiosperm tree: carbon-14 dating places the age of a specimen in Namibia at about 1,275 years.
What is a baobab tree called?
Linnaeus later renamed the genus Adansonia, to honour Adason, but use of baobab as one of the common names has persisted. Additional common names include monkey-bread tree (the soft, dry fruit is edible), upside-down tree (the sparse branches resemble roots), and cream of tartar tree (cream of tartar) because of the powdery fruit pulp.