Description
The Dead-rat plant has been known in India for many centuries and is one of the most amazing trees.
The Dead-rat tree, botanical name is Adansonia digitata but it is also known in English language as African baobab, Baobab of Mahajanga (Madagascar), Cream-tartar tree, and Dead-rat tree.
The baobab tree is regarded as being the largest tree in Africa and the largest succulent plant in the world, it is leafless for nine months of the year.Adansonia digitata (baobab) is the most widespread of the Adansonia species, and is native to the African continent. The long-lived pachycauls are typically found in dry, hot savannahs of sub-Saharan Africa, where they dominate the landscape, and reveal the presence of a watercourse from afar.Their growth rate is determined by ground water or rainfall,and their maximum age, which is subject to much conjecture, seems to be in the order of 1,500 yea They have traditionally been valued as sources of food, water, health remedies or places of shelter and are steeped in legend and superstition. Explorers of old were inclined to carve their names on baobabs, and many are defaced by modern graffiti.Common names for the baobab include dead-rat tree (from the appearance of the fruit), monkey-bread tree (the soft, dry fruit is edible), upside-down tree (the sparse branches resemble roots) and cream of tartar tree (cream of tartar).Plant Specifications
*above specification are indicative only. actual dimensions may vary by +-10%
| Common Name | Dead-rat tree, African baobab,Adansonia digitata,monkey-bread tree,upside-down tree, cream of tartar tree (cream of tartar),Gorakh chinch |
| Maximum Reachable Height | They can grow to between 5 to 25 m (16 to 82 ft) in height. They are in fact known both for their height and trunks girth. The trunk tends to be bottle-shaped and can reach a diameter of 10 to 14 m (33 to 46 ft) |
| Flower Colour | White |
| Bloom Time | After Summer season |
| Difficulty Level | Easy |
Dead Rat Tree care
| Sunlight | Full sun. |
| Watering | Keep the soil moist. |
| Soil | Hot,dry,stoney, well drained soils. |
| Temperature | Minimum 10-13 degree C. |
| Fertilizer | Any organic fertilizer |
Dead Rat Tree special feature
Dead Rat Tree uses
Ornamental Use:
- Dead-rat plants are strikingly beautiful as dominant, attention grabbing specimens
- Not for the small garden!
Medicinal Use:
- The Dead-rat plants bark, leaves, fruit, and trunk are all used
- The bark of the baobab is used for clothing, fodder and rope, the leaves for condiments and medicines
Culinary Use:
- The fruit, called Monkey bread , is eaten
- Sometimes people live inside of the huge trunks