The Fantastical Baobab

I was looking through Chapter 5 of The Little Prince trying to find a clever quote to include in this little bit about baobabs, but the Little Prince doesn't like these magnificent trees and in fact digs the babies up as soon as they become distinguishable from rosebushes. I guess if left to grow they would soon overtake his asteroid and the roots would tear it to bits, so it is understandable that he views them as quite a menace. But they don't seem to pose any such threat to earth and so I love them!

I have been thinking about doing a blog on baobabs for a while now - well actually just a blog where I posted a bunch of pics of them. But then, the universe had other plans for me. While at the local library with Q and A, what was on the return book cart but a children's book, This is the Tree, The Story of the Baobab. So the book inspired me to learn a bit more about these plant mammoths.

My favorite fact - "the flowers begin to open around sunset, lasting only until the next morning. They give off a strong, rotting smell which attracts bats, bluebottle and nocturnal moths." Bats pollinate the tree when they crash into the flowers as they are chasing insects. But don't pick the flowers because legend has it that you will be killed by a lion.

Baobabs are ginormous - up to 10 meters in diameter. They have been hollowed out and used for prisons, stables, bus shelters, dairies, and weavers workshop.

We went into one 47m circumference tree that had been made into a pub, which I felt was a bit degrading for such a noble tree. This tree has been carbon dated to +-6000 years old!!!! When the compost that had formed inside the tree was cleared out there was evidence of both Bushman and Voortrekers having lived inside.

All parts of the baobab seem to be useful as food or medicine. If you find yourself hungry and stranded, cook up the leaves or roots. Need mouthwash - dry the root and pound into a powder, which just might cure your malaria too. And don't worry too much if you cut the bark in the process as it will heal itself.

If the Little Prince had only known how wondrous these marvelous trees are he surely would have figured out a way to have at least one on his asteroid.