We’d like to introduce you to the WA Kimberley Boab Tree (Adansonia gregorii), an iconic tree in the Kimberley region which has been used for many thousands of years by Aboriginal Australians as a food source (as well as many other uses, from medicine to twine and far more).
Both fire retardant and endangered, the adult trees are somewhat fire-resistant, but replacement or juvenile plants seem to be extremely scarce out in the rangelands.
Successive western farming techniques of sheep and now cattle grassing and some native foragers along with frequent HOT wildfires have resulted in the extinction of any young saplings and other traditional complimentary under-story plants.
The trees that we do see on social media and holiday photos are therefore very ancient.
Towards the future
Bushys® acknowledges our role in preserving these precious seed resources to save these incredible plants from extinction in the wild. Trees are very prolific in and around some Kimberley towns, it’s only out of town where it seems they could do a little better.
Wild trees produce plenty of seed and seedlings however their survival rate does not seem from anecdotal evidence to be sufficient to replace the ageing stock, yet alone provide mid-life cycle habitat and food for other endemic species.
Consequently, we aim to only take approximately 25% of the fruit pods. We would like to record the life and death cycle of seedlings so as to build up a database of the youth plants, however significant approvals still need to be obtained.
Our part, in conservation will evolve along with ranger groups, their peak bodies, station owners, NGO’s and others to digitally record data about each tree, its surrounding landscape including soil samples so an evaluation can be made over-time in relation to improvements or further decline in BOAB reproduction.
World’s largest succulents
BOAB’s are the world’s largest succulent plants. The trunk and leaves are thick, moisture ladened and fleshy. The Latin word ‘sucus’ meaning juice, or sap. The moisture storage capacity of these trees as well as the nutritional benefits from the fruit, tubers (tap root) and leaves have been utilised by Kimberley families for thousands of years. We have done extensive analysis of the nutritional properties of all parts of the tree.
Flowers
Huge striking white flowers, creamy in colour and fragrant.
The WA species is very different to the African varieties in that the fruit pod skin or shell is significantly thinner, the flesh or pulp is milder and is missing the orange stringy internal material and its short lived flowers are upright not downward facing.
Flowering occurs usually during the summer and autumn months, and open early in the cool of the evening to facilitate pollination and their brief one or two-day survival.
Want to know more?
Get this gorgeous, full colour, book all about the beloved Kimberley tree. Click the image to go straight to the authors Broome book shop.
GET THE BOOK: The Boab Tree $29.95
Want spectacular Kimberley Photos? Visit: https://www.damiankellyphotography.com.au/
