The oldest baobab. The very best among the trees. The thickest tree in the world

18.10.2019

Baobab is one of the most interesting trees growing on our planet in Africa and Australia.

Oh, very thick, up to 10-15 meters in diameter, up to 25 meters high, maybe even higher. There are, of course, other giants among ...

It is impossible to accurately determine the age of the baobab - the tree does not have annual rings, but "offhand" the lifetime of the oldest specimens is calculated by scientists as 1000-6000 years.

The branches of a tree with discarded foliage look like roots, in explanation of which local residents there is a legend:

“God first planted the baobab in the river valley. The tree did not like it - it was too damp. It was not happy with the slopes of the mountains either - it was too dry. Then God got angry and threw the capricious ward with all his strength - so the baobab remained upright with its roots.

Baobab blooms with beautiful white fragrant flowers (by the way, bats pollinate the tree!), Which then turn into fruits that look like large cucumbers.

Quite edible and tasty, just like the seeds. In general, a multifunctional tree - baobab . Interesting facts about him are in the short list below.

Almost all baobab is edible: people and animals eat everything - foliage, bark, fruits, seeds, elephants, so even baobab wood is eaten.

The tree recovers easily after removing the bark and, like a person, can lose weight (during the dry season) and gain weight (during the rainy season).
During the rainy season, the baobab can store hundreds and thousands of liters of water.

Due to their size, baobabs are used by local residents as pantries, dwellings, bus stations, temples, public toilets, bars and even like a prison.

Because of the water-soaked wood, the tree does not burn in the fire and during fires it saves small animals in itself.

This is such an excellent and necessary baobab tree for everyone. Interesting Facts, interesting photos baobab, interesting video We invite you to read and view.

Baobab is unique in everything: in size, proportions, life expectancy. Even its excellent survival will be envied by any plant. Baobab is an amazing tree. He is the most prominent representative amazingly long living in the arid tropics African savannas.

largest baobab tree

Reaching a good ten meters in trunk girth, the baobab cannot boast of a special height: 18-25 meters is its usual height. Although there are individual representatives of this species that have broken all records: in 1991, one baobab fell into the famous Guinness book, reaching almost 55 meters in trunk girth, other specimens exceeded the 150-meter height limit. And there are legends about the life expectancy of this giant: it is officially recognized that a tree lives from 1000 to 6000 years. The trunk at the top abruptly breaks off, spreading thick branches to the sides and forming a crown up to 40 meters in diameter. This is a deciduous plant and during the period of shedding leaves it resembles a baobab turned upside down by its roots. The tree whose photo is presented confirms the funny appearance. But it is quite explainable by the conditions of growth on dry African lands. A thick trunk is an accumulator of nutrients and water reserves that the baobab needs. The tree has a second name - Adansonia palmate. This "name" combines characteristic appearance 5-7-toed leaves with the perpetuation of the name of the French biologist Michel Adanson.

The legend of the capricious baobab

It is the associations that come to mind with a tree whose roots are at the top instead of a crown, most likely, that served as fertile ground for the birth of the legend about the origin of the baobab. They say that during the creation of the world, the Creator planted a tree in a full-flowing valley, but the plant did not like the coolness and dampness of this place. The Creator heeded his requests and transferred him to the mountain slopes, but the baobab did not like the winds that are born in the gorges and blow around the rocks. And then, tired of the endless whims of the tree, God tore it out of the ground and, turning it over, stuck it upside down in an arid valley. Until now, during the period of leaf shedding, with all its appearance, it reminds of the wrath of the gods of the baobab - a tree that is not at all capricious, on the contrary, has learned to survive and protect all life around.

The incredible vitality of the tree is amazing: it quickly regenerates damaged bark, grows and bears fruit with or without a completely decomposed core. People often use the hollow trunks of the baobab for their needs. It is not uncommon to use baobab trunks for grain storage or as water reservoirs. They are adapted for housing by cutting out windows, and this is facilitated by a fairly soft core of the tree, which is vulnerable, however, to fungal infections. The cavities inside the tree, cleaned from the core, have sufficient areas for arranging indoors for various purposes. For example, in Kenya, a baobab grows, which serves as a temporary refuge for wanderers, and in Zimbabwe there is a baobab bus station that can accommodate up to 40 people at a time. In Limpopo, a 6000-year-old giant has opened a baobab bar, which is incredibly popular and is a local landmark.

Tree for all occasions

A universal plant is unique in all manifestations. Baobab flowers with a pleasant smell of musk bloom in the evening, pollination occurs at night, and in the morning they
fall off. Baobab fruits, resembling thick zucchini in shape, hanging on long stalks, are very tasty, differ high content vitamins and minerals, and nutritionally can be equated to veal. Outside, they are covered with a fleecy peel. The local population appreciates them for their pleasant taste, quick absorption by the body and the ability to relieve fatigue. The seeds of the fruit are roasted, ground and used to make a quality coffee substitute. The dried inner part of the fruit is able to smolder for a long time, driving away blood-sucking insects, and the ash is used to make oil (surprisingly!) For frying, as well as soap. Leaves of a tree - a storehouse useful substances. Soups are cooked from them, salads and cold snacks are made. Shoots have a great taste of young asparagus. Baobab is a tree whose pollen is an excellent basis for making glue. Porous bark and soft wood are used to make paper, coarse fabric, and twine, reminiscent of Russian hemp.

Medicinal properties of baobab

Ash from incineration is not only a universal fertilizer, but also the main component for the production of very effective drugs from viral colds, feverish conditions, dysentery, diseases of the heart and blood vessels, toothache, asthma, insect bites. The tincture prepared from the leaves of the baobab relieves the condition in diseases of the kidneys.

Among the wonderful representatives of the African flora, the baobab occupies a leading position. The tree, the photo of which can be seen in the article, is an invaluable gift of nature.

The regions where baobabs grow can be called a real "wonder of the world." The wood of this plant has an extremely soft and porous structure, which, after infection with a fungus, gradually collapses, forming huge voids. However, this does not particularly affect the viability of the tree, even if it is completely hollow inside, it can survive for several more decades. The natives of Africa have adapted to use this feature for practical purposes (for food storage and even home improvement).

Where do baobabs grow?

In Africa, these giants grow only in arid tropical regions. As a rule, the surrounding area is covered with grass, sparse shrubs and trees that are able to survive in a long hot period, followed by a rainy season.

Baobab acclimatization has interesting story. A tree, like a sponge, absorbs nutrients along with moisture, which is retained due to its wide trunk. Its diameter often reaches ten or more meters. It is worth noting that the widest sample from the family in question had a width of 54.5 meters and was listed in the Guinness Book of Records.

Peculiarities

Regardless of the terrain where baobabs grow, they are small in height compared to the width. This figure is from 17 to 25 meters. This configuration allows the tree to survive under the sun's burning rays.

At the same time, the water in the plant is retained, without evaporating, with the help of the bark, the thickness of which is about 100 millimeters. A rhizome plays a significant role in maintaining the desired microclimate, which spreads over tens of meters in several elements, collecting available moisture. It is noteworthy that in dry seasons, with excessive consumption of its own water reserves, the baobab slightly decreases in size, and after the rainy season returns to its usual state.

plant life

Where baobabs grow, its interesting transformations are observed. In the dry season, the tree sheds its leaves and becomes like a plant sticking up its roots. There is a belief among the local population - this is how the baobab was punished by God for not wanting to live where it was intended.

After throwing off the leaves, the tree begins to bloom (October-November). Rounded buds appear on the branches. At night, they bloom, turning into large flowers(about 200 mm). Shoots are curved petals white color with dark red stamens in the form of balls. The life span of a flower is only one night. For this a short time he manages to attract aroma bats and wings. Dying, the remnants of the shoots wither, emit bad smell and fall off.

Soon oval or round fruits appear, having a thick skin with hairs, containing sour edible pulp. This filling is very popular with baboons, which is why Africans sometimes call the plant "breadfruit for monkeys."

Vitality

In what zone and where the baobab grows, we have considered above. Here are some interesting facts about this unique plant. The tree is distinguished by vitality, in the presence of many internal holes, although it settles, gradually turning into a pile of fiber, it lives for several tens or even hundreds of years.

Not less than amazing properties has the bark of this plant. If it is completely torn off, the tree does not die, as the bark quickly grows back. Even after cutting or damage by elephants, left with one root, the plant will try to continue its growth, however, already in a supine position.

Scientists have not been able to establish the exact period of life of the baobab, all hypotheses are inclined to believe that the plant lives for at least a thousand years. It is worth noting that this tree does not have rings, and its exact age can only be determined using radiocarbon dating.

Application

On the mainland, where the baobab grows, its purpose does not end as food for baboons and elephants. Inner part The trees are used by the locals as warehouses. Other parts of the plant are also used:

The bark is used to make fibers, from which belts, bags, bags, nets are then made. From the ashes, medicinal tinctures are obtained for the treatment of various diseases.
Shoots and foliage - young elements are eaten, like asparagus, dry parts are used for cooking spices.
Pulp. The taste of the fruit filling resembles ginger, it is used to prepare a soft drink. The ash from this part goes to the production of oil, which is used to cook food.
The seeds are eaten raw. Dried seeds are used to prepare a drink resembling coffee.
In addition, pollen, pulp and ash are used in cosmetology and for the manufacture of glue.

In which country and where do baobabs grow? As already noted, the main habitat of these trees is the tropical African savannas. Below are a few interesting facts associated with this unique plant:

In winter, the regions where baobabs grow are too dry, so they shed their leaves.
From the dried fruits of the tree, some African tribes make glasses.
The pulp of the plant in Kenya is used to make candy.
In one night, the baobab flower has time to open, attract pollinators and wither, emitting an extremely unpleasant smell.
The height of the considered plants does not exceed their diameter by more than 2-3 times.
The baobab adorns the coats of arms of the two states.
In Zimbabwe, there is a bus station located inside a huge tree.
The largest specimens reach a girth of 50 meters or more.
Baobab is able to store more than 100 thousand liters of liquid inside.
The content of vitamin "C" in one fruit is identical to four oranges.
The African baobab is pollinated by one of the species of bats that crash into the flowers, hunting for insects, and then spread the pollen on the body to other plants.
There is no vegetation on the plant for nine months of the year, which looks very strange and unusual.

In conclusion

Where baobabs grow, there is a belief among the locals that the tree used to be a man. He angered the Almighty, and in retaliation, he turned him into a plant, which he planted upside down. By the way, the second name of the baobab among Africans is “upside down tree”.

THE BIGGEST SHORE DIAMETER IS IN THE BAOBAB

African Baobab (Adansonia digitata) - the most famous representative sort of - really fantasy tree, included in the legends, fiction, often depicted on stamps, paintings, posters. It is not without reason considered the eighth wonder of the world.

The unusually thick trunks of baobabs can reach a diameter of more than 10 m (the cross-sectional area of such a trunk is more than 70 square meters), and, since the trees are low, their grotesque thickness is especially striking. Like other trees of the dry African savannas, baobabs develop a powerful root system that provides the plant with more or less sufficient moisture. Knotty, large-diameter baobab roots often extend over the soil surface for tens of meters, occupying a huge space. This "captivating" feature of the baobab was symbolically interpreted by Saint-Exupery in The Little Prince.

Baobabs bloom more often on leafless branches. Their spherical flower buds, hanging on long pedicels, open in the evening or at night; then large (up to 20 cm) white flowers appear with a peculiar, rather pleasant smell that attracts pollinators. The 5-membered calyx and corolla surround the stamen tube, which ends in a bundle of numerous stamens, and among them, somewhat laterally, is the gynoecium, which is much longer than them. Flowers are pollinated at night bats, and in the morning they already wither, acquire an unpleasant smell and fall off.

Baobab fruits are ovoid, thick-walled, felt-pubescent boxes; they contain many small black seeds dispersed by animals. The seeds are embedded in a white pulp whose sour taste attracts many animals, especially monkeys, which is why the baobab is also called monkey bread.

The Indian botanist K. M. Waid is inclined to consider the baobab as the mythical tree "kalpa-vriksha", often mentioned in the Indian epic and depicted in ancient sculptural decorations. According to legend, you just need to stand under the branches of a tree, and it, like our self-assembled tablecloth, will give everything that is asked of it. Baobab really gives a lot to a person. A coarse, unusually strong fiber is obtained from the bark, which is used to make fishing nets, bags, saddles, paper, and even clothing; the leaves are boiled and eaten as vegetables; fruits replace fruits, they are also used to make a drink like lemonade, hence another name for the baobab - lemonade tree. Hollow tree trunks are used as temporary shelters and pantries for storing grain, and in the extremely arid regions of Africa they are specially adapted for water storage tanks.

Baobabs are deciduous plants and, in their leafless state, often have the curious appearance of trees growing up roots, with branches spread over the ground. An African legend explains it this way. The Creator planted a baobab in the valley of the Congo River, but the tree began to complain about the dampness of those places. Then he was transplanted to the slope of the Lunar Mountains, but even here the baobab was not satisfied with his fate. Angry at the constant complaints of the tree, the Creator pulled it out and threw it on dry African soil. Since then, the baobab has been growing upside down. The extremely soft, water-saturated baobab wood is prone to fungal diseases, which is why the trunks of adult plants are usually hollow. Powerful-looking trees often turn out to be "colossi on clay feet", and elephants, although not without difficulty, fell them, eating not only leaves and branches, but also the damp wood of the trunks. The baobab also dies differently than other trees; it seems to crumble and, gradually settling, leaves behind only a pile of fibers on the surface of the earth.

Nevertheless, baobabs are unusually tenacious, they are not afraid of either fire or water, as the Indian legend says. If its bark is burned or torn off, the tree quickly restores it. It continues to bloom and bear fruit, even when, at the whim of a person, its hollow trunk is filled with water or turned into a dwelling. Fallen trees also cling to life, quickly developing new roots, and their leaves do not stop assimilating (forming complex substances from simpler ones). It is not surprising, therefore, that a tree with such seemingly fragile wood is one of the longest-lived plants on Earth. A. Humboldt called them the oldest organic monument of our planet, and the age calculations carried out in our time by the method of radiocarbon analysis (according to (C 14) African baobab showed more than 5500 years for a tree with a diameter of 4.5 m. This is very close to the age determined almost 200 years ago by the French botanist M. Adanson, in whose honor the genus was named. And although many researchers are frightened by such a large figure and there are definitions indicating a younger age of baobabs (3000 and even 1000 years), there is no doubt that baobabs are long-lived on the Earth.

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The crown of the tree has the correct shape in the form of a cone, the branches are located horizontally, with a slight inclination to the ground. The bark is thick, relatively soft, after being removed from the tree it has a red color. The root system is superficial, shallow, the roots diverge to the sides of the trunk. Seeds with spiral scales are egg-shaped. They ripen 9 months after pollination, carry from three to seven seeds.

Sequoia has long been considered the most tall tree on the planet. Until at the end of the last century in Africa, at the foot of Kilimanjaro, a unique giant baobab with a height of 189 meters. Just imagine, on the stump of this tree a hockey field can easily fit and there will still be room for fans.