Baobab

Baobab

　　　　A tropical fruit tree of the Bombacaceae family. Grown in Hainan. When sliced and roasted over fire before ripening, the fruit tastes like bread. It is the national tree of Senegal.

　　 　　On the arid tropical savannas of Africa grows a uniquely shaped large tree —— its name is the baobab. Because monkeys and hamadryas baboons love to eat its fruit, people call it the “baobab tree.”

　　 　　It is not only a food source for animals but also the world’s thickest medicinal tree.

　　 　　The baobab’s scientific name is Adansonia digitata, also known as monkey-bread tree. Other common names include baobab or sour gourd tree. It is a large deciduous tree. The baobab has a massive crown and strangely twisted branches that resemble roots, making it look from afar as if it had been planted upside down.

　　 　　The baobab tree is spectacular in shape, with fruits as big as footballs, sweet and juicy — a favorite delicacy for animals such as monkeys, gorillas, and elephants. When the fruit ripens, monkeys come in droves, climbing the trees to pick and eat the fruit, hence the name “baobab tree.”

　　 　　Can store a lot of water during droughts

　　 　　Besides Africa, baobab trees can also be found in the Mediterranean, islands in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, and northern Australia. No matter where they grow, baobab trunks are very thick, yet the wood is extremely porous — seemingly tough outside but soft inside. This type of wood is perfect for storing water, giving the baobab its unique “undressing technique” and “water absorption method.”

　　 　　When the dry season arrives, to reduce moisture evaporation, it quickly sheds all its leaves. Once the rainy season comes, it uses its massive trunk and soft wood in place of roots to absorb and store vast amounts of water like a sponge, to be slowly used during the dry season. It is said to store several thousand kilograms or even more water, truly earning the title of a water tower on the plains.

　　 　　When traveling in the desert, if you’re thirsty, you don’t need to tap into your “reserves” — just use a knife to make a hole in the easily found belly of a baobab tree, and fresh spring water will gush out. You can then hold a container to drink your fill. That’s why many desert travelers say, “The baobab tree is as vital as life itself — as long as there’s a baobab tree, you don’t have to worry when traveling through the desert.”

　　 　　The baobab tree is a medicine chest in itself

　　 　　Its fruit, leaves, and bark can all be used medicinally to reduce inflammation, lower fever, and treat malaria.

　　 　　The baobab tree is a treasure trove. Its tender leaves are a highly favored vegetable among locals. The leaves can be used for soup or fed to horses. The seeds can be roasted and eaten. The pulp can be consumed directly or made into beverages. The fruit, leaves, and bark all have medicinal properties, beneficial for the stomach and gallbladder, clearing heat and reducing swelling, stopping bleeding and diarrhea, and contain substances that resist the formation and spread of gastric cancer cells. They were also once used to treat malaria for their fever-reducing effects. The sap from the leaves and fruit remains a commonly used anti-inflammatory remedy among locals to this day.

　　 　　In the dry and rainy seasons of Africa, the baobab sheds all its leaves and fills its massive body with water.

　　 　　The baobab belongs to the Bombacaceae family. Its trunk grows up to about 20 meters high, but its diameter can exceed 15 meters, often requiring 40 adults holding hands to encircle it. The crown can reach over 50 meters in diameter. Because it looks like a big fat man, locals also call it the “fat man tree” or the “elephant of trees.”

　　 　　The baobab’s appearance is very peculiar, and there is an ancient legend about it: when the baobab tree “settled” in Africa, it disobeyed the “God’s” arrangement and chose the tropical savanna on its own, thus angering “God,” who then uprooted it. Ever since, the baobab has grown upside down on the ground, turning into a uniquely “planted-inverted tree.” To this day, it still sparsely dots the African savanna, becoming a distinctive local sight.

　　 　　The tropical savanna climate is hot year-round with distinct wet and dry seasons. Rainfall is scarce during the dry season. To survive the dry season smoothly, the baobab absorbs as much water as possible during the rainy season and stores it in its thick trunk. Its woody tissue, like porous sponge, contains large amounts of water, becoming an ideal water source during droughts. It has provided life-saving water for many travelers on the savanna, rescuing those on the verge of death due to thirst, hence it is also called the “tree of life.”

　　 　　The baobab fruit is oblong, gray-white, 30–35 cm long, with a vertical cross-section of about 15–17 cm. The pulp is juicy, containing organic acids and pectin, with a slightly sour taste. It can be eaten raw or made into refreshing drinks and flavorings. The pulp encases many seeds, which have an oil content of up to 15%, yielding a light yellow oil that is premium edible oil. The seeds can also be mixed with cereals for consumption.

　　 　　During the rainy season, the baobab grows palmate compound leaves composed of 3–7 small leaflets on its branches. The leaves are rich in vitamins and calcium, making them a beloved vegetable among locals. Tender leaves can be used for soup and taste excellent; dried and crushed leaves can be used as seasoning. The fruit, leaves, and bark can all be used medicinally, commonly used by locals to treat malaria. The bark is also rich in fiber, usable for making ropes and instrument strings, as well as papermaking material. Long ago, it was also used to make coarse cloth.

　　 　　The baobab’s wood is light and soft, with no practical use for timber. But interestingly, locals often hollow out the trunk’s center to live inside, creating a uniquely quaint natural “cottage.” Some residents also use the hollowed trunks as animal pens, water storage rooms, or storage spaces. Strangely enough, food stored in baobab tree hollows can last a long time without rotting or spoiling.

　　 　　The baobab is also a renowned long-lived tree. Even in the harsh, arid environment of the tropical savanna, it can live for around 5,000 years. According to records, in the 18th century, the famous French botanist Adanson saw some baobab trees in Africa, the oldest of which had lived for 5,500 years. Because local folklore regards the baobab as a “sacred tree,” it is protected by people.