Adansonia DIGITATA

Adansonia DIGITATA - African Baobab, Monkey-bread Tree, Adansonia digitata, Baobab.

Can be grown in bonsai style!

Adansonia is a genus of tropical trees with very thick trunks in the mallow family (Malvaceae), comprising 8 species distributed primarily in Africa, Australia, India, Madagascar, and the Arabian Peninsula. Currently, the genus is expanding through the description of new species. The name 'baobab' is applied to all Adansonia species, but in Australia it is most often used specifically for Australian species.

Members of the genus are easily recognized by the presence of a massive caudex at the base of the trunk, creating a bottle-like silhouette. The roots occupy a large area around the tree and help accumulate water in the soft wood. A thick trunk is considered a shared characteristic of all baobab species. Elephants often break into the trunk and consume the interior, utilizing the stored water for drinking.

Deciduous species shed their foliage during the winter drought. From December to May, new leaves emerge alongside flowers of great size, up to 200 mm (8 in) in diameter. Snow-white flowers can be seen only at night. They emerge from large flower buds and last for nearly 24 hours. During this time, instead of snow-white coloration and a delicate fragrance, they turn brown with an unpleasant odor. The flowers are pollinated by bats.

In place of the flowers, hard, woody fruits develop containing a white powdery substance with a high ascorbic acid content. The fruit contains edible white pulp and two light brown, hard seeds.

The baobab grows slowly, which allows it to be cultivated in an ordinary home.

African baobab is the most famous and widespread African baobab, reaching up to 25 m (82 ft) in height and up to 12 m (39 ft) in trunk diameter. The trunk is covered with gray, smooth, sometimes knobby bark 50-100 mm (2-4 in) thick. Each leaf divides into five distinct leaflets resembling human fingers (hence the scientific name 'digitata'). It blooms with beautiful and fragrant creamy-white pendulous flowers. The fruits of this species are round, ovoid, or oblong.

For seed propagation, preliminary scarification is necessary: soak in hot water for two days, and nick the seed coat with a sharp object. Germination is carried out in moist cloth at a temperature of about 35 °C (95 °F) (near a radiator in covered containers over the course of a month). The cloth is moistened periodically. Alternatively, prepared seeds can be planted in an individual container filled with peat and added sand. Sometimes planting depth is almost negligible (seeds can simply be pressed lightly with a finger). The soil is kept slightly moist. Seedlings emerge in 15-20 days. When germinating seeds during the autumn-winter period, the first seedlings appear much later and require supplemental lighting. Once a sprout appears - a simple green column with two leaves and a sturdy root system - it is moved to a permanent location, with the soil layer above it measuring about 3 cm (1.2 in) to prevent the seedling from drying out. Seedlings grow rapidly when young. After pricking out (or even without it), sprouts still do not resemble a future tree, beginning to thicken and produce leaves only later. Witnessing flowers and obtaining homegrown seeds indoors will not be possible, but one can proudly enjoy the ambiance of a magnificent tropical tree.

© Greeniverse. All rights reserved.

A novice grower who has acquired seeds can master growing a baobab at home. Meeting the recommended conditions for quality growth is required. First and foremost, locate the sunniest, warmest spot. Maintaining direct sun throughout the entire growing season is desirable. The young tree grows until late autumn. Before winter, it may shed all its leaves. Ambient temperature during this time should not drop below 15 °C (59 °F).

In a suitable pot (its size determined by windowsill width), arrange efficient drainage and fill with a potting mix of neutral soil with added sand and perlite. Watering is performed infrequently with limited amounts of room-temperature water. Excess water can lead to the plant's loss. Misting the plantings is not required. In winter, the baobab is hardly watered at all. Watering is needed (in small quantities) only if heating equipment is nearby and the soil in the pot becomes very dry. The baobab is fertilized in spring and early summer with a balanced fertilizer in limited amounts.