seeds of Adansonia digitata, Baobab

Adansonia digitata, also called the baobab, is a tree species of the family Malvaceae. The tree’s synonyms include Adansonia bahobab, Adnasonia integrifolia, and Adansonia somalensis. Other names for the baobab include monkey-bread tree, upside-down tree, and dead-rat tree. Adansonia digitata is indigenous to Africa. The tree grows all over the continent except in the Sahara region and Central Africa. Adansonia digitata mostly grows in the African savanna and the Arabian Peninsula. Adansonia digitata is well-known for its bottle-shaped appearance and its solitary nature. The tree can reach a height of between 5 and 25 metres and attain a trunk diameter of 10 to 14 metres. The roots have a deeper reach than the plant’s height. A phenomenon that allows the tree to get the water and nutrients it needs to survive harsh arid conditions. Flowers are large, white, and have a diameter of up to 12 cm. Fruits from the baobab tree are quite big measuring 15 to 20 cm long. The fruits can be readily eaten or mixed with water, milk or another liquid to create a drink. Commercial sale of baobab now takes place on a global scale, given the fruit is used to flavour cereal bars and smoothies. The leaves are a popular vegetable all over the continent. Cooking the leaves may involve using them to make soups or adding them to sauces and heating till they are ready to be eaten. One can also extract oil from the seeds and use it for cooking. Adansonia digitata has proven to be a reliable source of food for people who live in arid and semi-arid areas. In addition to providing food for human beings, the tree also provides food to livestock and wild animals, e.g., Elephants. Adansonia digitata is capable of living for over 1500 years.