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The Baobab Tree
Baobab Trees flower for the first time when the tree is about 20 years old. At sunset on a mid summer evening, dozens of luminous white blossoms open to release a strong musky odour that attracts Fruit Bats and a variety of insects. The large bats enjoy the sweet nectar and serve to collect and distribute the pollen between the many flowers. The life of the flower is surprisingly short as it drops to the ground within hours of being pollinated. The seeds then develop in a hairy pod, which when fall to the ground, are enjoyed by baboons, monkeys, antelope and elephants. In this way the seeds are distributed allowing the Baobab Tree to root itself in new areas. The Baobab Tree has many uses and practically every part of the tree has a use. Although the wood is too fibrous to be used for structural purposes, it can be shredded into strands of fibre and used as rope and woven into baskets, nets, snares and cloth. It can also be processed into paper. The leaves can be boiled and eaten as a vegetable or as a soup. The white pulp of the fruit pod contains tartaric acid, used to make sherbet as well as "Cream of Tartar" for baking. The seeds can be ground and roasted to make a coffee-like drink or simply eaten fresh. The pollen can be used to make a glue whilst the roots are used to make cosmetics and tonics. In times gone by, tribal Africans believed that the trees had fallen from the sky and that the bare branches were the roots clawing at the sky. |
Baobab
Trees, some of which are known to be over 3000 years old, can grow to a
height of more than 26 meters with a girth in excess of 19 meters.
Although Baobab Trees live for centuries and grow to such huge
proportions, they eventually perish either of disease or on rare
occasions by absorbing too much water. In the latter case, the
tree crumbles in on itself and collapses to the ground in a heap of
white flakes.