Adansonia digitata L., Syst. Nat. ed. 10, 2: 1144 (1759).
The genus Adansonia includes about nine species native to Africa, Madagascar, and Northwest Australia. Adansonia digitata, the baobob, dead rat tree, or monkey bread tree, is the most commonly cultivated species and the probable source of this potpourri ingredient. Fruits are velvety capsules, 7-30 cm long, angular-ribbed, woody when dried, and filled with large, woody seeds.
Adansonia digitata is native to Sub-Saharan Africa but cultivated elsewhere in the tropics for the unusual shape of the tree and also for the somewhat edible fruits.
Malvaceae, also placed in Bombacaceae
Authors: A.O. Tucker, A.J. Redford, J.L. Scher, M.D. Trice
Last updated: January 2020
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