Adansonia RUBROSTIPA

Adansonia RUBROSTIPA - Red-stipule baobab, Fony baobab, Adansonia fony, Adansonia rubrostipa.

Can be trained as bonsai!

Adansonia is a genus of tropical trees with a very thick trunk in the mallow family (Malvaceae), numbering 8 species distributed primarily in Africa, Australia, India, Madagascar, and the Arabian Peninsula. Currently, the genus is constantly expanding due to the discovery of new species. The name 'baobab' is used in reference to all species of adansonia, but in Australia it is most commonly used to specify the Australian species.

Members of the genus are easily recognized by the presence of a massive caudex at the base of the trunk, creating the appearance of a bottle. Roots occupy a large space near the tree and help accumulate water in the soft wood. A thick stem is considered a common characteristic for any baobab species. Elephants often break the trunk and eat the interior, using the stored water for drinking.

Deciduous species lose their attire during the winter drought. From December to May, new leaves grow out along with large flowers up to 200 mm (7.9 in) in diameter. Snow-white flowers can be seen only at night. They emerge from large flower buds and persist for nearly twenty-four hours. During this time, instead of snow-white color and delicate scent, they become brown with an unpleasant odor. The flowers are pollinated by bats.

In place of flowers appear hard, woody fruits containing a white powdery substance rich in ascorbic acid. The fruit contains edible white pulp and two light brown hard seeds.

The baobab grows slowly, which allows it to be grown in ordinary indoor living spaces.

Adansonia rubrostipa is the shortest species among Malagasy baobabs. It reaches 12 m (39 ft) in height, though individuals up to 20 m (66 ft) are occasionally encountered. The trunk girth can reach 5 m (16 ft) in diameter. The trunk is bottle-shaped. The bark is grey, becoming brown and reddish with age. Branches are short, creating a rounded sparse crown. Flowers are large and very attractive, yellow-purple. Fruits, seeds, and oil of this species can be used as food.

It is endemic to northwestern Madagascar in Mahajanga and Toliara provinces, where it inhabits dry deciduous forests. In indoor cultivation, it is grown as a bottle-shaped ornamental tree.

For seed propagation, preliminary scarification must be carried out: hold in hot water for two days, and damage the seed coat with a sharp object. Germination is carried out in moist cloth at a temperature of about 35 °C (95 °F) (on a radiator in containers with a lid over the course of a month). The cloth is moistened periodically. Prepared seeds can also be planted in a separate container filled with peat and added sand. Sometimes the planting depth is almost absent (seeds can be lightly pressed in with a finger). The soil is maintained in a slightly moist state.

Sprouts appear in 15-20 days. When germinating seeds in the autumn-winter period, the first sprouts appear much later and only under supplemental lighting. After the shoot appears, as a simple green column with two leaflets and a sturdy root system, it is transferred to a permanent spot, with the soil layer above it measuring about 3 cm (1.2 in) so that the shoot does not dry out. Seedlings grow rapidly at a young age.

After pricking out (or without it), sprouts still do not resemble the future tree, and they begin to thicken and produce leaves later. Seeing flowers and obtaining one's own seeds under home conditions will not be possible, but one can successfully take pride in the atmosphere of a tropical plant.

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A novice grower who has acquired seeds can master growing a baobab at home. At the same time, it is required to fulfill the recommended conditions for quality growth. First of all, the sunniest, warmest place is found. It is desirable to maintain sunlight illumination throughout the entire vegetative period. Growth of the small tree takes place until the end of autumn. Before winter, it may drop all its leaves. The ambient temperature at this time should not fall below 15 °C (59 °F).

In a comfortable pot (its dimensions are determined by the width of the windowsill), effective drainage is formed, and soil consisting of a neutral earth mix with added sand and perlite is poured in. Watering is carried out infrequently with a limited volume of room-temperature water. Excess water can lead to the plant's demise. Spraying the plantings is not required. In winter, the baobab is hardly watered at all. Watering is necessary (in small amounts) if heating equipment is nearby and the soil in the pot becomes very dry. The baobab is fed in spring and early summer with a complex fertilizer in limited quantities.