Baobabs, Limpopo

Baobabs, Limpopo

The giant Baobab trees grow mainly in the hot, semi-arid areas north of the Soutpansberg mountain. Legend has it that in a frivolous mood, the gods planted Baobabs upside down with their roots exposed to the sky.

The baobab tree (Adansonia digitata) is one of the trees in Africa with the longest life span. The average age of the Baobabs found in the northern parts of Limpopo are between 300 and 500 years old. Near Sagole, a rural village in the north east of the province, a baobab specimen can be visited that is 3,000 years old and measures 43 metres in circumference at base. Baobabs are among the most useful plants to both animals and humans. With its own distinct ecosystem, Baobabs swarm with life as it provides shelter and sustenance for various creatures. Elephants browse the leaves and strip the bark for food and moisture. Baboons feast on the fruits of the tree while birds (and bees) nest in the holes in the trunk, as most of the old trees are hollow inside. Fruit bats and bush babies pollinate the flowers that only last for 24 hours before falling to the ground to become food for various antelope species.