Nature field note
The tree that saves water
The Baobab's Rain Tank
A baobab tree can store thousands of liters of water inside its huge, spongy trunk, enough to help it survive a whole dry season without a drop of rain.
Let's look closer
How does a tree hold that much water without a single drop leaking out?
nderneath its bark, a baobab's trunk is filled with soft, spongy wood that works like a giant sponge, swelling up during the rainy season to soak in water. The tree seals that water inside layers of fibrous tissue, sipping from its own reserves slowly through the dry months. That's also why an old baobab trunk can look wrinkled and swollen, like a barrel wearing bark.
Look for this
Explorer clue
Look for a photo or video of a baobab tree's thick, round trunk, and notice how different its shape is from thinner trees nearby.
Your turn to wonder
Curiosity question
What is one thing you like to save up for a day when you might really need it?
Keep wandering
