Bombacaceae · Adansonia

Khurasani Imli / African Calabash

Adansonia digitata

Also known as Baobab Tree, Monkey Bread Tree, African Baobab Tree

Treeoutdoor
Habit
Tree
Found in India
Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh & more
Flowering
April-September

Plant Details

Scientific name
Adansonia digitata
Genus
Adansonia
Habit
Tree
Habitat
Introduced and planted
Habitat type
Cultivated
Native to
Tropical Africa
Distribution
Africa, Tropical Asia, Madagascar
Found in India
Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Karnataka, Telangana, West Bengal, Daman & Diu, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Jharkhand, Kerala, Delhi
Flowering & fruiting
April-September
Conservation status
Not Evaluated (NE)

Leaf characters

Simple leaf type
Leaf type
SimplerecordedA single, undivided leaf blade.African baobabs produce simple leaves much longer than most other Adansonia species. — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Characters marked “recorded” are for Khurasani Imli itself; the rest are typical of the Bombacaceae family.

Flower & fruit characters

Flower colour
WhiterecordedFlowers are large, white and hanging. — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Characters marked “recorded” are for Khurasani Imli itself; the rest are typical of the Bombacaceae family — flowering plants only.

Local Names

Hindi
ख़ुरासानी इमली Khurasani Imli, Gorakh imli गोरख इमली
Bengali
Gadhagachh
Tamil
Papparappuli பப்பரப்புளி
Telugu
Brahmaaamlika
Marathi
Gorakh chinch गोरख चिंच, गोरखचिंच

About Khurasani Imli

African Calabash (Adansonia digitata) belongs to the Bombacaceae family, where it grows as a tree. In India it has been recorded in Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and 11 other states. It is introduced and planted. Flowering and fruiting run from April to September.

Uses

It is grown for parts that are eaten, long used in traditional medicine and planted as an ornamental. Those medicinal uses are traditional attributions, not medical advice.

In culture

It turns up in ritual and festival use and is used as an official or regional emblem.

Illustration representing the Bombacaceae family
Botanical family

Bombacaceae

Bombax Or Kapok Family

Khurasani Imli belongs to the Bombacaceae family.

The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.

Explore the Bombacaceae family →

Snap it. Know it.

Point your camera at Khurasani Imli or any plant and SASYA identifies it instantly — on-device, offline, and private.

Download SASYA — Free

Common plant problems

All plant problem & care guides →

More in Bombacaceae

View all Bombacaceae