African Baobab Tree (Adansonia Digitata) 20+ seeds | Bonsai

Please find for sale 20+ fresh Adansonia Digitata seeds better known as the African Baobab Tree. In their native environment, Baobab trees have amazing longevity - some are over 3,000 years old. Whist they can be grown as outdoor pot specimens in Europe they are mainly grown as excellent bonsai specimens. I am getting circa 90% germination on these so you should not need too many unless planning a forest!

PLEASE NOTE: ALL ORDERS RECEIVED BEFORE 8PM (MON-FRI) WILL BE DISPATCHED SAME DAY

SAVE PACKAGING MATERIALS  - SEE OTHER INTERESTING & UNUSUAL SEEDS & PLANTS IN MY SHOP

For some super pictures of African Baobab bonsai creations have a look at UK: https://ibonsaiclub.forumotion.com/t4588-baobab-bonsai-feasible-style

And for some excellent bonsai tips for this tree, look here: https://swindon-bonsai.co.uk/2011/06/22/baobab-tree-as-bonsai/

Germination Instructions

Sow indoors at any time. Germination can be slow so to speed things up, scratch the hard seed case in one place using a metal nail file or similar then soak the seeds in hot water for 24-48 hours. This is called "seed stratification" and if you are not familiar with how to do this, have a look at some videos on youtube etc - not hard. 

Sow 4-6 mm deep into a well-draining compost mix - ideally a mix of  50% regular compost, 50% vermiculite (which I sell in the Accessories section of my eBay shop)

Ideal germination temperature 21-27°C so ideally on a window sill over a radiator. Keep well ventilated to avoid rot. Transplant seedlings when they are 5cm tall to individual pots and grow on.

Tip - Don't be tempted to try to remove the seed case from young seedlings - I have tried and it damages the leaves. They will eventually cast off the seed coat naturally.

Growing Instructions

Can not tolerate even mild frost. Minimum temp. 12°C. Grow in a greenhouse or conservatory. Prefers a well-drained sandy soil in full, hot sun. Water well when the compost is dry. Continue to water even if the leaves are lost over winter.

Olly's General Guide to Seed Sowing!

I love sowing seeds and it runs in the family - dad, grandad and finally my great-grandad for whom the hobby helped him get over his experiences in the Great War. I still get a big kick when I see the first seedling poking through from a new plant that I have never sown before or been successful at. However, even the most experienced gardeners draw "blanks" from time to time. Whilst I sow all the seeds that I sell so I know that they are viable, some are trickier than others and problems can arise so here are some tips to make "blanks" few and far between:

1) Dont Rush! Tempting though it is when that packet arrives in the post to simply bung the seeds in some compost!

2) Google and Youtube are your friends! Take some time so see the methods other people use to germinate the seed. 

3) Think Nature! What conditions do seeds face? For example a seed from a tropical plant will fall to the warm, wet and dark jungle floor. A seed from the mountains of Europe will fall to the floor in Autumn, then have to endure months of freezing temperatures before germinating in the spring. So as growers, what we are trying to do is to simulate the conditions that the seeds will naturally experience and there are plenty of tricks that can be done to short cut the processes somewhat.

4) Good compost pays dividends . The best investment you can make is to purchase three bags - one of potting compost, one of vermiculite and one of horticultural sand. With these three bags I can make up whatever soil type a particular seed likes (although for most seeds I find a 50/50 mix of compost and vermiculite works just fine) 

5) Rot is your enemy. The single biggest danger to seed germination is rot - either before or after "damping off" the seeds germinate. To reduce the risk, ensure you have good free draining soil mix and that it is moist but not wet. The best investment you will make is a bottle of 4% hydrogen peroxide (mixed with water 1:4) - this disinfects and also encourages germination. Unless the seed variety absolutely requires it I prefer NOT to cover my seeds trays with plastic bags, Whilst germination is often faster this way, it greatly increases the risk of rot. I prefer to place my seed trans inside a watertight plastic tray and water from the bottom - airflow over the surface reduces the risk. The surface is kept moist as required by spraying with my water/peroxide mix (see above)

Problem? Dont rush to Feedback - get in touch and I will sort it out!