Baobab is the common name used for trees that belong to the genus Adansonia. There are nine different species of this type of tree, which are found around the world in dry, arid environments. Many people think they are strange looking trees, but it is these unusual characteristics that allow the trees to survive in these climates.
The trunks of the baobab trees are extremely wide and can measure up to 30 feet in diameter....
Baobab is the common name used for trees that belong to the genus Adansonia. There are nine different species of this type of tree, which are found around the world in dry, arid environments. Many people think they are strange looking trees, but it is these unusual characteristics that allow the trees to survive in these climates.
The trunks of the baobab trees are extremely wide and can measure up to 30 feet in diameter. Some older trees have trunks that are close to 50 feet in diameter, and it is thought that these trees are thousands of years old. The reason for the width of the trunks is to allow the tree to store tens of thousands of gallons of water within them, sometimes as much as 32,000 gallons. This water store is also used by animals and humans who live near the trees.
Baobab trees are deciduous trees, which means they drop their leaves for part of the year. Unlike deciduous trees in cooler climates, baobab trees drop their leaves during the warm dry season and not the colder winter season. They do this to conserve energy during this time, which means that the trees often do not have leaves for about nine months of the year.
The final adaptation of the baobab trees to survive is how they reproduce. The trees produce white flowers once a year. The flowers open at dusk for one night. They stay open the entire night and have a very strong odor. This smell attracts bats and insects to fertilize the flowers. The fruit that is produced is called monkey bread, which is eaten by animals and birds when it falls to the ground. It contains seeds with hard coats strong enough to survive the digestive process of the animal. The seeds are then dispersed in the animal's waste products.
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