Baobab Tree - Interesting Facts and Fiction

by Gloria Philips Expert Blogger

The African Baobab Tree (Adansonia digitata) is really a tree with lots of stories and interesting facts.

Adansonia digitata are available all around the African continent as well as Madagascar. It reaches heights of 5 to 30 metres (16 to 98 ft) and it has a trunk diameters of 7 to 11 metres (23 to 36 ft). Flowers are equally large with as much as 7 inches in dimensions. The tree produces edible fruit, called monkey bread as especially baboons enjoy it. We have eaten monkey bread, and also have to admit the sour taste will not be especially attractive to my European pallate. With that said, within the African culture the fruit, seeds as well as young leaves and seedlings are extremely much utilized for local dishes and drinks.

The following is even more intriguing and mystical info on the Baobab Tree...

1. The African tribes call the tree "the upside-down tree". When bare of leaves, the spreading branches from the Baobab seem like roots sticking up in to the air as though it was planted upside-down. An African legend tells the baobab was among the first trees to show up on the planet. Once the palm tree, the flame tree as well as the fig tree appeared, the Baobab started to grumble it thought about being taller, to get brilliant flame coloured flowers, and bear tasty fruit too. The Gods grew angry at this particular incessant wailing and pulled in the tree by its roots, and replanted in upside-down to help keep it quiet!

2. The African baobab tree can also be known as the "tree of life" as it can certainly store water throughout the drought season that is sometimes vital towards the rural population. Large baobab trees could contain a lot more than 30,000 gallons water, and to reach it, Kalahari bushmen use hollow bits of grass just like a straw to suck water out.

3. The baobab is Africa's latest fair trade sensation. Around the 15th July 2008 the European Union has officially approved the export of powdered baobab fruit towards the Uk being a healthy additive to cereal bars and smoothies. The baobab has been said to get 3 times the vit c content of the orange, so that as much calcium being a glass of milk. Based on Britain's University of Southampton, the baobab is full of vitamin B1, B2, and C, and calcium, plus it's bursting with antioxidants.

4. The citric and tartaric acids located in the pulp supply the base for cream of tartar, often used being a baking ingredient.

5.Due to their size, individuals have been storing supplies in old hollow trunks or have already been living within a Baobab Tree. Take a look at an internet site called "bigbaob" for a few amazing videos.

6. Natural medicine uses the bark from the Baobab to reduce fevers, chewing a leave is apparently waking you up and ingesting a few of the tartar powder is assisting with stomach aches.

7. In rural Africa the bark is utilized to create ropes as well as clothing.

8. Rafiki (the baboon) from "The Lion King" lives inside a Baobab Tree.

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