Baobab Tree: Facts, Myths, and Stories About the African Tree of Life

The Baobab tree is popularly known as the African Tree of Life. It is known as the “upside down tree” because of its branches that look like roots sticking up in the air. The Baobab tree has a  lifespan of more than 4,000 years. The Baobab fruit is rich in Vitamin C and Vitamin B2, making it a popular “superfruit” with numerous health benefits.


Fun Facts

The Baobab tree grows in dry regions, native to Madagascar, Africa, and Australia, and found in different parts of India. There are several species of the Baobab tree, and have been given an array of interesting names. The Adansonia digitata, is also known as the “dead rat tree” with a fruit that looks like a dead rat. Others have come to call it the “monkey bread tree.” This is because they describe the fruit of the tree as bread with monkey fur.  


The common perception of the Baobab tree is that it is ugly. The strange names given to the tree are proof of that. Nevertheless, its fruit redeemed the tree’s ugly looks with its surprisingly impressive nutritional value. The tree’s fruit pulp is very rich in Vitamin C.  Forty grams of it, provide 80% to 100% of your Recommended Daily Intake (RDI). The Vitamin C content of the Baobab fruit is said to be approximately 10X that of oranges. For the dry regions where the Baobab tree grows, it is the best source of Vitamin C. The fruit also contains Vitamin B2, and the tree’s leaves contain calcium. The fruit can also produce cream of tartar using the acidic seed pulp of the Baobab fruit.


Myths and Stories

Several stories explain why the Baobab tree is called the “upside-down tree.” According to the African Bushman mythology, the god Kaang, a remote sky god, did not like the Baobab tree growing in his garden, so he plucked the tree and threw it away from the heavens. It eventually fell on Earth, landing upside down, and continued to grow that way.  


In a  different story, when God planted the Baobab tree, it kept walking in the garden. So, it was plucked and replanted upside down to keep it from moving. There are more stories about the tree's unusual appearance and characteristics that are unlike any other tree in the world. The Baobab tree truly is one of a kind.


Today, the Baobab tree, particularly the Baobab fruit, is also found to have great effects on the body and skin. Different organic products are used in making health and beauty products. The Vitamin C-rich fruit produces amazing results in these natural skincare products. Check out our Baobab tree collection of organic skincare products which includes facial soap, creams, facial masks, toner, and others. Look young and beautiful with the help of the African Tree of Life.