Adensonia Digitata

 ADENSONIA DIGITATA( BAOBAB AFRICAN)

I have been always thrilled whenever I have come across baobab during my journey in Africa. The trees are gigantic and are more than 500 years old. During dry seasons they are without leaves, the huge trunk is the source of water for the elephants. During the rainy season, the leaves appear and also soon is the flowering season. the fruits or the baobab pods are nutritious and are eaten as food by man and animals. The maximum age a baobab tree can live is 1500 years. 

I have always thought of getting a Baobab tree in my place in Kolkata, India. Ultimately I could fulfil my dream. Purchased a small baobab tree from the Century plant Nursery in Bangalore. When I received the plant it was just coming out of the winter dormancy. The plant was sent bare-rooted. My first job was to put it inside a pot with appropriate soil. From my experience of travelling in Africa, I decided to make the soil with vermicompost 30 per cent, coarse sand 30 per cent, perlite 20 per cent and pumice stone 20 per cent. 3 tsp of the bone meal was added also. 

Within 1 week more leaves started coming. As it has woken up from the winter dormancy, and leaves have started coming out, I decided to water it twice in the week. I kept it in full sun. Very recently there was rain in the evening, I allowed the plant to get drenched in rainwater. And after that, I found more leaves are coming out.