![]() Flowers įlowering occurs during the dry season, from May to August, before leaves appear. This is the only species of baobab with leaflets that are blueish-green and that are densely covered with star-shaped hairs. Leaves are palmately compound, typically with 9 to 11 leaflets. The crown is flat-topped, with horizontal main branches. They can reach 25 to 30 m (82 to 98 ft) in height. Grandidier's baobabs have massive, cylindrical, thick trunks, up to three meters across, covered with smooth, reddish-grey bark. This is the tree found at the Avenue of the Baobabs. This tree is endemic to the island of Madagascar, where it is an endangered species threatened by the encroachment of agricultural land. The local name is renala or reniala (from Malagasy: reny ala, meaning "mother of the forest"). It is sometimes known as Grandidier's baobab or the giant baobab. Fresh baobab leaves provide an edible vegetable similar to spinach, which is also used medicinally to treat kidney and bladder disease, asthma, insect bites and several other ailments.Adansonia grandidieri is the biggest and most famous of Madagascar's six species of baobabs.Birds nest in its branches, baboons devour the fruit, bush babies and fruit bats drink the nectar and pollinate the flowers, and elephants have been known to chop down and consume a whole tree. ![]() An old baobab tree can create its own ecosystem: it supports the life of countless creatures, from the largest of mammals to the thousands of tiny creatures scurrying in and out of its crevices.When they do die, they simply rot from the inside and suddenly collapse, leaving a heap of fibres, which makes many people think that they don't die at all, but simply disappear. They can be burnt or stripped of their bark, and they will just form new bark and carry on growing. The baobab is also known as the ‘upside down tree’ because, when bare of leaves, the spreading branches of the baobab look like roots sticking up into the air, as if it had been planted upside down.A baobab tree that used to stand at De Beers’ Venetia Mine travelled 2,000km and now has pride of place at the centre of the Conservatory at the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens.Baobabs are believed to live up to 3,000 years.SIX THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT BAOBABS… These gentle giants will only take root in their new home if their trunks are planted facing precisely the same direction as in their original home.Īs a result, environmental officers make sure to mark the north facing side of the tree before transportation so that they can ensure it is correctly transplanted. It is a complex process that requires written permission from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.īecause of the sheer size of some of these specimens, moving a single tree generally requires the use of an excavator, dozer, low bed truck, crane and a water bowser.Ī major contributing factor in the successful relocation of a baobab tree is the direction in which it is planted. Venetia Mine has successfully relocated a total of 110 baobab trees since 2008. For when a tree really has to be disturbed, the mine’s environmental team has pioneered the technique of transplanting fully grown baobab trees – with a 100 per cent success rate. These trees are classified as a protected species.īelieving that the impact of mining must be managed in a responsible way, the team at Venetia goes to great lengths to prevent disturbing baobab and other protected trees onsite. The mine and its surrounding areas are home to the baobab tree, a bushveld succulent scientifically known as the Adansonia digitata. Tarryn Rae Genis, from De Beers, said: “Our team provided technical expertise in performing an environmental assessment and conducting a risk assessment, then moving and monitoring the tree, which is now flourishing and clearly visible upon leaving the town.” The mine was recently called on to help the Musina Local Municipality in the Limpopo Province and construction company Terra Viva transplant a 28-tonne baobab tree from the main parking area of the new Musina Mall to a roundabout 200 metres from the entrance to a new shopping complex. Best Practice Principles Assurance ProgrammeĪn environmental team from De Beers’ Venetia Mine has stepped in to help move a giant baobab tree in Musina, South Africa.Leading Ethical Practices Across the Industry.Accelerating Equal Opportunity: 2030 Sustainability Goals.Protecting the Natural World: 2030 Sustainability Goals.Partnering for Thriving Communities: 2030 Sustainability Goals. ![]()
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