Author: Babasola Ayodele Adelaja, Director (Fruits and Spices), National Horticultural Research Institute, Idi-Ishin, Ibadan, Nigeria
It has been difficult to find an appropriate classification for the Baobab (Adansonia digitata – Bombacaceae) tree, considering its usefulness to man, livestock and the environment. Call it a multipurpose tree and that will not carry the weight of its wide usage. Call it a medicinal plant and that will leave out its nutritional and traditional role in its area of production. A term like “Superfruit” seem to capture almost all that is known today about the Baobab tree and appear very appropriate.
The baobab is the most widespread of the Adansonia species in the African continent and are usually found in the savannas mostly around the equator. It is known by many common names in different parts of Africa such as Monkey bread tree, Lemonade tree and cream of tartar tree (Eng.) Kre metartboom (Afr.) Isimuku, Unshimulu, Isi Muhu (Zulu), Mowana (Tswana) etc., it can grow up to 25m tall and can live for several thousand years. The Baobab is leafless for nine months of the year.
The baobab tree can be aptly described as a superfruit since nearly all the plant parts are useful to man and animals. The bark, leaves, fruit, and trunk are all used. The bark of the baobab is used for cloth and rope, the leaves for condiments and medicines (Kuka – Hausa); (Ose-Yoruba), while the fruit is eaten raw or processed into a local drink in Nigeria called “Kunnu” – a kind of yoghurt. Sometimes people and large animals live inside of the huge trunks and bush babies live in the crown.
Large baobab trees with hollow stems have been used by people for centuries for various purposes including houses, prisons, pubs, storage barns, and even as bus-stops. A big tree in the old Transvaal region is recorded as once being used as a dairy. Another tree near Leydsdorp was used as a bar (known as the Murchison club) and utilised by prospectors and miners during the gold rush of late 19th century. One such tree in the Caprivi strip was converted into a toilet, complete with a flushing system.
Rain water often collects in the clefts of the large branches, travellers and local people often use this valuable source of water. It has been recorded that in some case the centre of the tree is purposely hollowed out to serve as a reservoir for water during the rainy season. One such reservoir was holding 4,546 litres of water. A hole is drilled in the trunk and a plug inserted so that water can be easily retrieved by removing the plug. The roots of the Baobab can also be tapped for water.
African honey bees (Apis mellifera) often utilise hollows in the baobab to make their hive. One can often see a “ladder” of pegs hammered into the trunk which is used by several honey harvesters to gain access to the hives. Caterpillars, which feed on the leaves are collected and eaten by African people as an important source of protein.
The leaves of the baobab are said to be rich in vit C, sugars, potassium tartarate and calcium. They are cooked fresh as vegetable or dried and crushed for later use by local people. The sprout of a young tree can be eaten like asparagus. The root of very young trees is also reported to be edible. The seeds are also edible and can also be roasted as a coffee substitute. The seed and fruit of baobab are also reported to be rich in a lot of macronutrients particularly sodium, calcium and magnesium; micronutrients such as iron, copper and zinc. Proximate analysis of the seeds and leaves further reveal a high preponderance of moisture, protein level of up m to 18.4%, fat ash crude fibre and metabolisable energy.The seeds and fruits also express moderate quantities of a total of 17 different amino acids.ss
Wild animals eat the fallen leaves and dead leaves are said to be good fodder for domestic animals. The fallen flowers are relished by wild animals and cattle alike. When the wood is chewed, it provides vital moisture to relieve thirst, human as well as certain animals (such as elephants) eat it in times of drought.
There are many legends and superstitions surrounding the baobab tree. For example, it is believed that an elephant frightened the maternal ancestor of the baobab. In some parts of the world the baobab is worshipped as a symbol of fertility. It has a belief that spirits inhabit the flowers of the baobab and that anybody who picks the flower will be eaten by a lion. It is also believed that water in which the seeds have been soaked will offer protection against attack by a crocodile, while sucking or eating the seeds may attract crocodiles. It is also believed that a man who drinks an infusion of the bark will become strong. In some areas a baby boy should not be bathed in such a bark infusion for too long as this may make him become obese. It is also important that this water does not touch his hard as this could cause it to swell. When inhabitants move from one area to another, they often take the seeds of the baobab with them, which they plant at their new homestead.
The bark on the lower part of the trunk often bear scans caused by local people who harvest and pound it to retrieve the strong fibre. The fibrous bark is used to make various useful items such as mats and ropes, fishing nets, fishing lines, sacks as well as clothing. Although the bark is often heavily stripped by people and elephants, these trees do not suffer as a normal tree would from ring barking.
Baobabs have the ability to simply continue growing and produce a new layer of bark. The wood of the baobab is soft, light yellow and spongy, and although it has been recorded as being used for making boxes, this does not seem to be a widely used practice.
Many references have been made mention of the exceptional vitality of the tree, noting that after the entire tree is cut down, it simply re-sprouts from the root and continues to grow, the same is noted of tree which have been blown over in storms. Despite this remarkable vitality, when a tree dies it collapses into a heap of soggy, fibrous pulp. Stories exist of how such quickly decomposing trees spontaneously combust and get completely burnt up.
More than 260 years ago, baobabs were apparently successfully grown in England and had reached heights of 5.6 metres but were all destroyed with the heavy frost of 1740. Surprisingly a few baobabs have found their way into cultivation possibly due to their reputation of being exceptionally slow growing.
Despite the usefulness of baobab as a fruit tree and in spite of its utility, the crop still remain largely undomesticated with most of the trees growing in Nigeria surviving as volunteer or deliberately protected stands. No much work has been done on the agronomic requirement, genetic improvement and there are no enhanced utilisation studies going on in any of the research institutes. It is in the light of this fact that a project aimed at improving and enhancing the production and utilisation of the baobab tree for the use of man and livestock is being advocated.
Note: The author’s use of the term “Superfruit” does not necessarily reflect the views of TFNet.