Adansonia gregorii - Boab

Adansonia gregorii is the only baobab native to Australia. This species, although not reaching the dimensions of its famous African and Malagasy cousins, remains an imposing tree, admired for its enormous swollen trunk forming a kind of flask, topped with a large leafy crown, often irregular. While it does not flower or bear fruit in our climates, this pot-grown Baobab retains its characteristic habit and unusual charm. It can be easily grown indoors, like cacti. The baobab can be taken out on the patio or balcony as soon as the night temperatures are sufficiently high, and will be brought indoors into a heated room from September onwards.

According to classifications, Adansonia gregorii belongs to the Bombacaceae or Malvaceae family. It is an endemic tree found in a small region in northwestern Australia. This species is likely to have originated from Gondwana, the supercontinent that included Australia and Africa 70 million years ago. Some individuals can reach a venerable age. In our latitudes, this very frost-sensitive tree is grown in pots, and it is highly appreciated as an indoor bonsai.

In nature, Adansonia gregorii rarely exceeds 10 m (33ft) in height. With an occasionally irregular habit, it produces one or more swollen trunks that may or may not fuse together, reaching up to 20 m (66ft) in diameter at the base. Cultivated in a container and regularly pruned, it will not exceed 2.50 m (8ft) in height and 1.50 m (5ft) in crown width. The soft, spongy tissues inside the trunk serve as water reserves, allowing the plant to withstand long periods of drought. The bark is thick, slightly shiny, brown in colour, becoming greyer over time. From the trunk, several large main branches branch out and divide into smaller branches and twigs. The canopy is often irregular. The foliage is deciduous during the dry season, from late October to April. In our climates, it will be necessary to respect this necessary period of rest for the tree's health, to avoid rotting of the fleshy roots. The leaves are long-petioled, simple and entire on young plants, but divided into 8 or 9 leaflets on mature specimens. Their colour is a medium green. In the wild, flowering occurs on baobabs at least 10 years old, just before or at the beginning of the rainy season, in late spring. It takes the form of curious flowers borne on long pedicels. Each flower consists of a corolla of white to pale yellow sepals, with a beautiful bunch of stamens of the same colour, from which the pistil protrudes. It opens at night and is pollinated by nocturnal butterflies attracted by abundant nectar and its fragrance. After pollination, oblong-shaped fruits, covered by a thick tegument, are formed.

With its characteristic bottle-shaped silhouette, the Australian Baobab makes a very beautiful indoor plant, to be highlighted in a contemporary or exotic-inspired decor. Plant enthusiasts looking for unusual and beautiful plants can also adopt agaves, banana trees, or even the bird of paradise Strelitzia reginae to add a beautiful tropical touch to the patio or veranda decor.