African baobab (*Adansonia digitata*) with its broad trunk and open crown.

African baobab (*Adansonia digitata*) in a dryland landscape.

Creator: Muhammad Mahdi Karim

Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0

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Species record

African Baobab

Adansonia digitata

Explore the African Baobab (Adansonia digitata) species record in The Ark Is Earth, including classification, habitat, distribution, conservation information, and sources.

Summary

African baobab is a long-lived dryland tree with a massive trunk, hand-shaped leaves, and large flowers. It is characteristic of savannas and open woodlands across mainland Africa.

Classification in this archive

  1. Kingdom: Plantae
  2. Phylum: Tracheophyta
  3. Class: Magnoliopsida
  4. Order: Malvales
  5. Family: Malvaceae
  6. Genus: Adansonia
  7. Species: Adansonia digitata

Habitat and distribution

Selected documented locations — not a complete species range.

Habitat
savanna, dry woodland, seasonally dry forest
Selected regions
Africa
Selected countries
Botswana, Kenya, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania

Conservation status

Conservation status not recorded.

Did you know?

  • Baobab trunks can grow to an immense girth.
  • Its flowers open at night and can be pollinated by bats and other visitors.

More images

African baobab (*Adansonia digitata*) showing its leaves and a flower.

African baobab (*Adansonia digitata*) with leaves and flower at Ala Moana Beach Park, Oahu.

Creator: Forest & Kim Starr

Licence: CC BY 3.0

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Sources and attribution