Interesting baobab tree roots

Written by on April 18, 2013. Posted in BAOBAB TREES

On my field trip a few weeks back we went into northern Venda which was very badly struck by the recent floods. Many roads were washed away and people's houses damaged. I came across this uprooted baobab. It was in a sandy area so when the floods washed around its roots it just toppled over! Notice the masses of adventitious tree roots extending horizontally out from the main tuber. Baobabs have a shallow and very wide spreading root system so that they can immediately take up the first rains of the season. Unfortunately, this one got taken out instead!

Dr Sarah Venter

Continue reading....

Find more interesting articles below

Baobab Guardians Celebrate Baobab Success!

Baobab Guardians Celebrate Baobab Success!

This November, 18 Baobab Guardians from 3 different Venda villages received certificates of achievement to celebrate the successful growing of 19 baobab trees to a height of 3 metres.

Read more
The Marvellous Brewers of Marula Beer

The Marvellous Brewers of Marula Beer

Each year marula beer connoisseurs make their annual pilgrimage to the far reaches of Limpopo to visit their favourite master brewers of marula beer. It’s a womens’ traditional craft and in order to get a taste of each woman’s brew you need to go ‘homestead hopping, visiting one home after another. Each one is different and this year Sarah Venter did her own tour of marula beer mavens and found out a few secrets along the way.

Read more
we all need a livelihood strategy: what’s yours?

we all need a livelihood strategy: what’s yours?

This is Sani Mudau. When I was visiting the village last week she was busy with an embroidery while she was waiting for her turn to be paid for the fruit she had collected. Since it's Women's Day today I thought I would celebrate the local Venda women. Many rural women have something called a […]

Read more