Baobab

Adansonia digitata

The dry fruit pulp is sour and rich in vitamin C and fibre; oil from the seeds is used for skin and hair. Medical claims have not been studied.

Safety notes

Traditional use is no proof of effectiveness; if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication or have a medical condition, consult a doctor or pharmacist.

Preparation

Fruit pulp dissolved in water or milk as a drink; young leaves cooked as a vegetable; oil from the seeds applied externally to skin and hair.

Use in traditions

In much of Africa the baobab is a tree of life and gathering: people meet and tell stories beneath its crown. The leaves are eaten as a vegetable (in Mali dried and ground into lalo for sauces), the fruit pulp (pain de singe) is diluted into a drink for fever and diarrhoea, and the bark fibres provide rope. Some trees are more than a thousand years old.

Applications

Use by tradition

How different herbal traditions describe this herb. Amounts are traditional guidelines checked for obvious errors; they are not medical advice. For poisonous plants no dosage is given on purpose.

Natural skin and hair care

Attributed effects

Nourishes without feeling greasy.

Preparation and amount

External: oil (of choice) in patchouli cleanser for oily skin.

Sources

All herbs from Africa →