HOW ANCIENT ARE BAOBAB TREES REALLY?

Written by on April 28, 2013. Posted in ECOPRODUCTS: HOW WE WORK

I often get asked how old baobabs become. There is a lot of myth with most people believing that they live for up to 5000 years. I have been working with Dr Adrian Patrut, who has made it his mission to find the oldest baobab in the world. He has been at this for about 10 years, sampling trees all over Africa and publishing his results in Scientific Journals. So far the oldest tree dated was the multi-stemmed Glencoe Tree near Hoedspruit that was dated to 1800 years old.(see pic).  In Venda people often say that they live forever. I like to believe they do.

Continue reading....

Find more interesting articles below

How do I measure the height of a baobab?

How do I measure the height of a baobab?

Have just returned from a truly inspiring research trip on Quilalea Island where I studied and reported on 56 Baobab trees. One of the many measurements I do is to measure the height of a baobab. It's a question I'm often asked: how does a short person like me manage this?  Well, I don't climb the […]

Read more
Birds in baobab trees

Birds in baobab trees

Photographer Vanessa Bristow has wonderfully captured these different birds perched in baobab trees in Zimbabwe.  Featured here are a Marabou Stork, an owl and a pair of Bennett’s woodpeckers busily pecking away (the female below the male). As Vanessa says of her photographs: ‘They are in humble tribute to a mighty tree! Baobab’s provide shade in summer, beautiful […]

Read more
First SA Conference on Essential and Vegetable Oils

First SA Conference on Essential and Vegetable Oils

Dr Sarah Venter (Managing Director at EcoProducts) was invited to be a guest presenter at the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) conference held recently. Sarah presented on quality standards in Baobab Oil and working with communities to achieve high standards and meeting customer expectations.

Read more