unusual baobab tree is unique in everything: in size, the proportions of life.Even his excellent survival envy of any plant.Baobab - amazing tree.He is the most prominent member of the family Malvaceae, remarkably long-lived in the arid tropics the African savannah.
biggest baobab tree
Reaching a dozen meters in girth of the trunk, a special tall baobab tree can not boast: 18-25 meters - his normal growth.Although there are individual members of this species, pobivshie all records: in 1991 a baobab tree in the famous Guinness Book, reaching a trunk circumference of almost 55 meters, other instances exceeded the 150-meter height limit.And the duration of the life of this giant and a legend at all: officially recognized that the tree lives from 1000 to 6000 years.The trunk is cut off sharply at the top, spreading thick branches to the sides and forming a crown of up to 40 meters in diameter.It is deciduous and during the discharge leaves resemble upside baobab roots.The tree, which is represented by a photo confirms a funny look.But it is quite understandable growing conditions in the dry lands of Africa.Thick trunk of a battery of nutrients and water supplies needed by the baobab.The tree has a second name - Adanson palmate.This "name" combines the characteristic form of a 5-7 dead leaves from the perpetuation of the name of a French researcher Michel Adanson biologist.
Legend of capricious baobab
That come to mind associations with the tree, whose roots are at the top instead of the crown, most likely, and served as a fertile ground for the birth of the legend of the origin of the baobab tree.They say that the creation of the world Creator planted a tree in the deep river valley of the Congo, but the plant is not liking the coolness and dampness of the place.Creator heeded his request and moved it to the slopes, but did not like the baobab the wind born in the ravines and cliffs blew.And then, tired of the endless vagaries of the tree, God tore it from the ground and, turning, back up stuck in the arid valley.Until now, the reset period of foliage all kind of anger the gods reminds wonderful plant baobab tree - a tree, not capricious, conversely, learned to survive and protect all life around.
Interesting facts from the life of baobab
incredible vitality of the tree is striking: it quickly regenerates damaged bark, grows and bears fruit with a completely decayed core or in its absence.People often use the hollow trunks of baobab for their needs.In African countries, it is not uncommon to use a baobab trunk storage of cereals or as a reservoir for water.They are fit for housing, cutting out windows and hanging doors.This contributes quite soft heartwood, vulnerable, however, to fungal infections.Peeled core cavity inside the tree have sufficient space for everything inside the various premises.For example, in Kenya's growing baobab serving temporary shelter to strangers, but in Zimbabwe there is a baobab, the bus station for up to 40 people at a time.In Limpopo, 6,000-year-old baobab tree giants open bar, which enjoys incredible popularity and is a local landmark.
tree for all occasions
Universal plant is unique in all aspects.Baobab Flowers with a pleasant smell of musk blossom evening, pollination takes place at night and in the morning they
fall.Baobab fruit, resembling a thick zucchini, hanging on long stalk, very tasty, have a high content of vitamins and minerals and nutritionally can be equated to the veal.Outside they are covered with fleecy skin.Local people appreciate them for their taste, rapid assimilation by the body and the ability to remove fatigue.Deep fried fruit seeds, ground and used to prepare high-quality coffee substitute.The dried inner part of the fetus is able to smolder for a long time, driving away mosquitoes, and the ash is used to make oil (amazing!), Cooking and soap.The leaves of the tree - a storehouse of nutrients.Of these, boil soups, salads and make cold snacks.Great taste of young asparagus shoots are.Baobab - tree pollen is an excellent basis for the manufacture of glue.Because of the porous crust and soft wood made paper, rough cloth, tow rope, resembling Russian hemp.
Medicinal properties of baobab
Ash from burning the bark is not only a universal fertilizer, but also the main component for the production of highly effective drugs against viral colds, fevers, dysentery, heart and vascular diseases, toothache, asthma, insect bites.Prepared from the leaves of the baobab tree tincture relieves kidney diseases.
Among wonderful representatives of the African flora occupies a leading position baobab.Wood, whose photos can be seen in the article is an invaluable gift of nature.
