Flora and Fauna: Baobab Tree

Baobab beginning to show its leaves. 

Africa's second most iconic tree to the Acacia is most certainly the Baobab (adansonia), though most are probably familiar with the species found in Madagascar. Of the nine species of baobab, only one is native to the African mainland (adansonia digitata). Baobabs are known to be old, big, and giant water storage tanks in drought prone areas, kind of like a cactus-tree.  They grow in height from 5 to 30 meters (16 to 98 ft) and have trunk diameters from 7 to 11 meters (23 to 36 ft). There is apparently a pub in South Africa that is literally inside of a tree reported to be 6,000 years old.

Crazy Baobab in dry times. 

An elephant seeking some moisture.  

They can do a lot of damage to the trees but typically leave them standing. 

Baobab tree in the wet times. 

Baobabs are deciduous trees and lose their leaves in the dry season for about 9 months of the year. Thus they typically look like an "upside-down" tree with branches appearing to be roots. During this time the trunk is full of water and in times of serious drought, elephants have been known to scrape the sides of the trees with their tusks in an effort to extract moisture. Their fruit also produces an edible delicacy, read more here.

Baobab trees are commonly found just south of Moshi. There is a strip on the highway to Dar es Salaam that is short but packed with Baobabs in the sparse and dry landscape.