Madagascan Boab Care

Adansonia gregorii is indigenous only to the Kimberley and the Victoria River basin at the western edge of the Northern Territory, which is its eastern boundary. Its western limit, Baum writes, 'is roughly at the boundary between the shires of Broome and Derby, 100 kilometres east of Broome'.Altitudinal range: Near sea level to 400 m.Habitat: Adansonia gregorii occurs on a wide-range of soils comprising light textured soils derived from sand-stone and basalt, but also on rocky outcrops and on limestone hills. It grows in open woodlands where individual trees are usually spaced widely apart. Occasionally small thickets of A. gregorii occur and these are usually the result of regeneration from one or more parent trees. In addition, it is occasionally distributed along creek lines. Climate: Hottest/ coldest months: 35-39°C/13-18°C. Frost incidence: low. Rainfall: 500-1500 mm per year, mainly in summer, however, it can tolerate a fairly wide range of conditions, provided it has good drainage and is not subject to hard frost. Adansonia gregorii are often subject to periodical fires. They survive to fire and establish new canopy from preexisting meristems. The baobab are more fire tolerant than understory species. Fire opens understory, promotes seedling establishment, and enhances the subsurface water supply, reducing competition for water. The pollinators are most likely to be moth species of the Sphingidae family.