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Growing a boab
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Posted by Saira WA Aust (saira@iinet.net.au) on Sun, Jul 25, 04 at 4:45
| I have managed to obtain a boab tree (Adansonia Gregorii) and am wandering how i go about growing it. Any help would be much appreciated. Cheers |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Growing a boab
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| Saira,don't know much about what boab trees like regarding growing conditions,however there are two of them growing approx 0.5 km from where I live.They were planted about 130 years ago in what was then just a paddock.They are now part of someones back yard.The decendent of the original owners of the paddock told me his great great grandfather planted them not long after he purchased the land.I suppose they were just plonked into the ground and left to fend for themselves.I have been told these two actually have a heritage order on them.They are in a stony clay soil and as in most places in Oz they are experiencing the worst drought in local living memory and are surviving.The larger one has a diameter at is widest part of(Im guessing this)approx 4 meters or so.Smaller one approx 3 meters diameter.Approx 4 meter height trunks then branches grow out from there.Maybe one of the botanical gardens may be able to give you some more info.Good luck with them.Regards C.N. |
RE: Growing a boab
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| Firstly, I can't believe that C.N. really has a boab growing nearby, especially since his page reveals that where he lives has quite severe frosts. Many people confuse the Queensland bottle tree (Brachychiton rupestris) with the boab or Australian boabab (Adansonia gregorii). Both can develop very fat trunks, but the boab gets to be a more massive tree. As far as I know it is very frost tender as well as demanding a very warm growing season. I have never seen one in NSW, but suspect that there could be a few grown successfully in the far northeastern corner, along with many other tropical trees. The Queensland bottle tree, however, can be grown in most parts of NSW and tolerates quite cold winters. There are some big old specimens in the Sydney Botanic Gardens, though that site is frost free. As for whether Saira can grow a boab in WA, I would think that that depends on which part of WA. I would be very surprised if it can be grown out in the open in the Perth region, which is much the same latitude as Sydney. I think you would need to be a long way north of Perth. I guess it's just possible that you could grow a boab in Perth or Sydney in a very sheltered, sunny courtyard which traps the heat, but doubt that you would get a very impressive tree - or if you did, it might start to demolish the house! |
RE: Growing a boab
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| I bought 7 boab seeds (Adansonia Gregorii) on E-bay just recently and planted 6 of them. I was experimenting, so I attempted germination under different conditions - and now, a few weeks later I have 4 boab seedlings about 5cm out of the soil just throwing off their seed coats. They didnt care about soil type so much as having their seed coats nicked (the ones I nicked all germinated - the 2 I didnt, did not). I currently live in Gosford, ~1.5 hrs north of Sydney... I guess getting them to germinate is a whole different game to getting them to grow well... I guess Ill see how I go. A friend is planning on using them to bonsai so should be interesting. How did you get along with growing yours, Saira?? |
RE: Growing a boab
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I grew some Boabs about a year ago, they took over 8 months to germinate and hate cold wet conditions, even in Cairns!
I as well as Tony are surprised that this species would be growing well in winters that receive -8 degress.
I have three in NENSW where it gets to 3 degrees most winters and my specimens dont look happy.
Kris |
RE: Growing a boab
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| Boabs require very hot conditions. You can grow them in milder climates in a large clay pot, placed in the sun where it will heat up during the day. They will even flower in this situation. A friend of mine in Brisbane flowered one. Garry |
RE: Growing a boab
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| Hello, I've had experience with the Adansonia gregorii in the U.S. while working at a botanical garden, and other Adansonia species on my own property. As young trees they are very sensitive to frost damage. However, after reaching a height of 2m+, the trees suffer little to no frost damage (although their dormant season is considerably longer in colder areas). The only real cold related issue is with a freeze. Adansonias do experience some significant branch die-back after freezes, but don't present themselves until the next growing season.
The key to growing any species of boab is very-well-draining soil. During the active growing season these trees love water running past the roots, but standing in water for any period of time will cause rapid root decay. It is also important not to water at all during the dormant period for the same reason.
Hope this helps.
Alasdair |
RE: Growing a boab
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| Saira there are boabs growing in Kings Park - you may be able to contact the botanical people there (there is also a group called Friends of Kings Park? or something like that). |
RE: Growing a boab
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| agnes, youre right! I remember seeing boabs in kings park too |
RE: Growing a boab
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| Where Can i find Boabs withing 2 hrs drive of Brisbane Thanx wayne |
RE: Growing a boab
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| I have two boabs that I have had for years that get badly neglected and mauled by dogs and kids but are still growing and even flowered a couple of times. They are both in black 16" pots that sit on the septic tank in full sun summer and winter, the coldest it has been is around -3 to -5C, the hottest about 43C. They haven't been repotted or fed for several years and get watered when I remember to (every couple of weeks or so). The pots have been knocked over many times so only has about half the mix it should. I originally bought them as seedlings and would be nearly 10 yrs old and are now about 1.2m tall (above the pot) with a base of 35cm round. Would've been taller if looked after better. I think too much kindness would be the only way to kill them :) Sorry boab hunter, I don't think they would be big or good enough for photos. |
RE: Growing a boab
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| A little while back, I saw the Food Lover's Guide to Australia (SBS) discuss the use of young boab plants as vegetables - they're grown to about carrot size and then harvested and eaten. I blogged about it (link below) - and have been meaning ever since to try and find someone in the Sydney region who might have seeds or (preferably) seedlings that I could practice on in my backyard veggie garden. I'm figuring that if you weren't trying to grow a tree out of them, one might stand a reasonable chance of growing them in cooler climes than their native Kimberly region. If people do have seedlings, am happy to swap for various native produce - I've currently got an oversupply of warrigal greens, for eg! Failing that, I'll negotiate a payment :) |
Here is a link that might be useful: Eat Australia blog
RE: Growing a boab
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| Here is a link to some pictures of my boab flowering. The same boabs that I mentioned earlier though I did re-pot them a month or so ago ("at last" say the plants) |
Here is a link that might be useful: Flowering boab
RE: Growing a boab
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| Interestingly enough my partner and I travelled through Aus a year or so ago, and we were impressed by the many Boabs growing naturally there, I tried a few times to germinate seeds here at home in cold wet Wales Uk, Success was achieved eventually by washing the seeds in hot soapy water rinsing them off and placing them to soak in a shallow tray in a warm place (the airing cupboard) for three days (dont let them dry out) and then planting them in a compost of half sand and half seed compost most grew and I have one in a Bonsai pot in our front room, as apparently they make good Bonsai subjects |
RE: Growing a boab
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| There's an article in the current (Autumn 2006) issue of Organic Gardener on growing A. gregorii for bush tucker. |
RE: Growing a boab
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I've heard the story about eating the tubers ofyoung seedlings like carrots - but it was about Brachychitons, not Adansonia. As Tony pointed out there is a tendency to confuse the two species. So what's true? Are both species eaten as a root vegetable, or just one or the other?
Trish |
RE: Growing a boab
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| I love the boab. Mine has been growing beautifully, but lately I have been having some difficulty finding suppliers of boab. Call me strange, but I find talking to a boab really helps it to flourish. :) |
RE: Growing a boab
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| Trish, I have heard of small business's in the Top End growing Adansonia gregorii for their tuberous roots. Regards Kris |
RE: Growing a boab
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I am really interested in any more info anyone has about growing your own seedlings from these seeds, I live in Kununurra up in the Kimberly, and i'm surrounded by these great trees! I went and got a nut from under one of them the other day and got the seeds out, and tried planting them.
I'm not too sure how to "nick" them as the seed was rock hard and i tried to nick with a file...
the i planted in moist soil, burnt some leaves over the top - as i've heard they like to germinate after fire go's over them - and watered. I'm also really interested in whether or not they can grow from cutting as the adansonian can... |
RE: Growing a boab
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| We lived in Kununurra for a year, I'm a teacher and bought some boab roots from Paddy's market to try (they were being sold as food). They sat in the fridge for weeks and got wrinkled (after all how do you cook a boab?). So we plonked them into water and they developed little roots. They were then planted into potting mix and all took, except the dog ate most of them. We have now moved nearer to Perth out of the tropics and have one that is thriving. It continues its cycle of dropping leaves in winter (the dry) and growing them during summer (the wet). So, we keep it in a pot and pour water into it during summer. I'm looking forward to seeing it in 400 years! |
RE: Growing a boab
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| i returned from broom to geraldton 3 years ago and brought a boab with me. at the time it was about 12 inches tall now it is 4 feet tall it is in a large pot in the garden. i dont do much apart from water it now and then and its going great guns it cops the Geraldton southerly wind and it gets the cold of winter im no green thumb so if you want to grow one give it a go. |
RE: Growing a boab
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| a friend bought me half a dozen seeds back from broome last year,so i rubbed them in sand paper, then droped them into a home made orchid mix,and left them in the fern area,and forgot about them,untill late sring, when up they came,only three,but healthy. i am going to bonsai them, one in an orchid mix, one in a bonsai mix and the last one in a gravelly bush mix. will let you know what happens later. have fun with yours. |
RE: Growing a boab
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| I live in the kimberley, kununurra, and have found many uses for the boab. curtis stone just did a cooking demonstration here last week and used the boab root and leaves in a salad, but i love cooking it in a stirfry. the root tastes like radish but nicer and the leaf tastes abit like beans. I had the white seed part last week in chocolate. Delicious and full of vit C. and quite nice just on its own. A friend soaked her seeds in water for a few days then just tossed them on the top of soil and they are growing well. Ive collected a whole heap of nuts as they are all falling off the trees at the moment, and im going to experiment with planting the seeds. |
RE: Growing a boab
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- Posted by grevs1 qld, bundaberg (My Page) on
Mon, May 23, 11 at 9:26
| hi there..just joined this website....well a friend gave us some boab seeds last year and most of them came up within about 5 weeks..i have them growing in normal "native mix" but lost a big number in winter..i didn't know they don't like frost..even we had only a few mild ones....but i still have about 6 or 8 left....maybe i should plant them and protect them over winter as someone on here said, after 2 years they may not be so affected by frost anymore !....mine are about 60cm high !.....ps; i didn't scar any of the seeds just cleaned them..have to say we were very surprised and exited that they seemed to pop up like that ! |
RE: Growing a boab
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- Posted by
jane w.a. (jane@ii.net) on Mon, Jun 6, 11 at 1:29
| i treat them the same as a desert rose, keep them dry in winter (im in perth) and water/feed them as soon as the weather warms up. They love full sun and dont mind the roots drying out a bit between watering. Like the desert rose, they can be susceptible to fungus, so a spray of antifungal solution can sometimes save them if they get waterlogged during winter and they've started to suffer. |
RE: Growing a boab
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| Could someone tell about the boab's root system. Are the roots large like the African type or am I able to plant in an ordinary backyard and not have to worry about whether the roots will end up blocking pipes etc. |
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