The baobab tree

LUISE HOFFMANNWITH its massive trunk and branches sticking into the air like roots, this tree is unmistakeable.

It occurs on plains, hill slopes and floodplains mainly in northern Kaokoland, in the Oshana region, around Tsintsabis and Tsumkwe and in the Sambesi region.

Name: (Engl) Baobab; (Afr) Kremetartboom; (Ger) Affenbrotbaum (Herero & Ovambo) Omukwa. The botanical name “Adansonia” commemorates Michel Adanson, one of the first persons to describe this tree, while digitata refers to the shape of the leaves.

Bulb-shaped at the base, the trunks of young trees taper towards the top supporting a fairly small crown. The typical massive trunk of 5 to 10 m in diameter – it is the thickest tree in the world – and the spreading crown only develop with age. The smooth, pinkish-grey bark forms lumps and bulges resembling congealed wax.

The leaves of mature trees are made up of five (sometimes three or seven) leaflets arranged like fingers on a hand, giving rise to the species name “digitata”, which means ‘like fingers’. Young trees have simple leaves. According to reports the San people maintain that young baobab trees do not exist – allegedly mature trees fall from heaven, and being top-heavy, land on their crowns.

Large, white flowers up to 12 cm in diameter and hanging from long stalks develop from October – March. A column of stamens protrudes from the centre of the flower, while the white petals have a waxy, crumpled appearance. They unfold just before dark and last only for 24 hours. Their heavy, carrion-like scent attracts many insects, but they seem to be mainly pollinated by fruit bats.

Egg-shaped fruit, up to 24 cm long with a hard, woody shell covered with yellowish-grey velvety hairs can be found from October to June. They contain many bean-shaped, dark brown seeds embedded in a very light, floury pulp.

The spongy, fibrous wood has a very high moisture content. The core of some trees dies off, causing large cavities, the inner surface of which heals completely. Water may collect in these cavities and is utilised by the San people and many animals. Very large hollow trunks have been used as dwellings or grain storage spaces; one was even fitted as a pub, another one as a toilet. The bark pounded and soaked provides fibres up to 1.5 m long, used for fishing nets, sacking and clothing.

Radio carbon dating carried out at the University of Zimbabwe determined the age of a baobab with a diameter of 5 m as being 1000 yrs. Therefore trees with a diameter of more than 9 m could be older than 4000 yrs. However, during droughts the trunk may actually shrink and therefore the diameter is not a reliable measure.

Carbon dating is difficult as the trunk does not form wood and it is therefore impossible to be certain that the oldest parts of the tree have been measured. When baobabs die they simply turn into a fibrous mass.

The fruit pulp and the seeds contain “cream of tartar” to which the tree owes its Afrikaans name “Kremetartboom”. During the East African Campaign in World War I the pulp was used as a yeast substitute for making bread. The pulp contains large quantities of Vitamin C and soaked in water makes a very refreshing drink.

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