Baobab Trees

Africa · giant trees · desert plants · Madagascar

Super Swollen Trunks. Baobabs have enormous, puffy trunks that can store water to survive long dry seasons. The trunk looks so strange that people sometimes call them the "upside-down tree" because the branches look like roots sticking up.

Water Storage Champions. These trees can store thousands of gallons of water inside their thick trunks. During rainy seasons, they soak up water, and during droughts, they use that stored water to survive when everything else is dry.

Trees Across Continents. There are eight species of baobabs, and they naturally grow in Africa, Madagascar, and Australia. People have also planted them in places like Asia and the Caribbean because they're so impressive.

Madagascar's Gift to the World. Scientists believe baobabs actually started in Madagascar millions of years ago and then spread to Africa and Australia. It's like the tree family's original home was that special island.

Ancient Living Giants. Baobabs can live for thousands of years, making them some of the longest-living trees on Earth. Some baobabs standing today were already old when ancient Egypt was thriving.