Adansonia madagascariensis is a Baobab that grows in the dry forests of Madagascar. The Adansonia species are generally easy to grow in pots as indoor bonsai. Adansonia madagascariensis can be small or tall; their height can vary from 5 to 20 meters. Baobab trees can live for thousands of years.
Its trunk can be cylindrical or like a bottle. The bark is light grey and its flowers are deep red. The roots of the Adansonia develop like a bulb, first going down in depth and then growing in width. Hence it requires a quite deep pot. The baobab is also the only tree able to regenerate bark directly from an exposed wood surface.
The trunks store considerable water, as much as 1000 gallons have been tapped from one. However, if you do not have a half acre to plant one on, they make great bonsai.
At fall, the leaves will slowly begin to fall and at the end of December your Baobab will be completely dormant. When the tree is bare of leaves the branches look like roots sticking up, making it look as though it has been planted upside down (Upside Down Tree). In March, when the temperature rises, it will restart its germination and the first leaves will start to bud. The leaves can be eaten like spinach.
Hardiness zone 10, (1øC/35øF) in winter. For Adansonia madagascariensis to germinate and continue its growth, it requires long periods of exposure to the sun and a temperature never below 18-20øC. At the end of October, when the temperature drops, it is advisable to bring the plant indoors and put it in a place directly exposed to sunlight. The problem with a Baobab is that it has no tolerance to cold.
It occurs in dry woodland preferring rocky and well drained soil. Water the plant sparingly, twice a week, since its soft and spongy wood fills with water in the rainy season in order to have a considerable water reserve available in the dry season. The soil must be kept quite dry during the dormancy which occurs generally from the end of summer to spring. It is resistant to dryness.