Baobab Tree Facts

Natively called "Renala" meaning "Mother of the Forest".

Also known as the "Tree of Life" due to its incredible properties supporting the ecosystems and human communities around them.

The tree can store up to 120,000 litres of water in its fibrous trunk. However, water does not gush out if you drill a hole into it; rather, the trees store water in their cells, in order to grow new leaves and maintain their structure, according to the Baobab Foundation.

The tree produces a highly nutritious, vitamin-rich superfruit, which has an incredible natural shelf-life of 3 years.

It is also called the "Upside-Down Tree", as its branches resemble roots.

Baobab trees can live for a long time, sometimes over 2000 years!

In many cultures, they are considered sacred, a place of spiritual significance, and a connection to the ancestral realm. 

The fruit is known as "monkey bread" as it grows high up, only accessible to the monkeys. Monkey bread provides 10x vitamin C than oranges, and high calcium & antioxidant levels.

Baobab leaves are highly nutritious, rich in iron, and commonly boiled and eaten like spinach or dried and ground into a powder (known as "Lalo" in West Africa) to thicken sauces.

Seeds are often roasted as a snack or coffee substitute, and can be pressed to produce a nutrient-rich golden oil for cooking and in cosmetic products for skin and hair rejuvenation. They may also be eaten with rice.

For thousands of years, every part of the tree has been used for food, clothing, shelter, medicine, and fibre!

Important for many different animals. The flowers open up at night and are primarily pollinated by bats.

The Avenue of the Baobabs in Menabe, West Madagascar is lined with towering Adansonia grandidieri trees, remnants of a tropical forest that once sprawled across the island. Today, this is listed as a natural monument. (LiveScience, 2026)

The trees play a central role in Malagasy culture, featuring in local legends such as that of the "Baobab Amoureux," or "Loving Baobabs" — two intertwined trees that are said to embody a pair of star-crossed young lovers who were forced to marry other people. (LiveScience, 2026)

Sadly, baobabs in Madagascar are severely endangered and face extinction threats from illegal logging, fires and climate change. (Kew)