Khurasani Imli / African Calabash
Adansonia digitata
Also known as Baobab Tree, Monkey Bread Tree, African Baobab Tree
- Habit
- Tree
- Found in India
- Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh & more
- Flowering
- April-September
How to identify Khurasani Imli
Identify Khurasani Imli by combining habit, leaf characters, flower or fruit details, location, and its family pattern. Do not rely on one feature alone.
- Look for a tree habit.
- Check the distinctive field mark: Huge rounded trunk; finger-like leaflets.
- Confirm leaf type: Simple.
- Confirm flower colour: White.
- In season, compare flowering and fruiting time: April-September.
- In India, compare location records such as Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and nearby regions.
- Confirm it sits within the Bombacaceae family pattern, then compare close relatives before deciding it is Khurasani Imli.
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Adansonia digitata
- Genus
- Adansonia
- Family
- Bombacaceae
- 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
- 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
- Whiterecorded“Flowers 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.
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 familySnap it. Know it.
Point your camera at Khurasani Imli or any plant and SASYA identifies it instantly — on-device, offline, and private.
Common plant problems
If you are starting from symptoms instead of a diagnosis, use the plant disease symptom checker to narrow the cause before treating.
All plant problem & care guides