Not too far from the famous Avenue of the Baobabs is located another miracle of nature – Baobab Amoureux. Here two magnificent baobabs (rather rare species Adansonia za) have twisted together, inseparable, like two lovers.

Adansonia za

Adansonia za is one of seven species of baobabs in Madagascar. These magnificent trees are endemic to Madagascar and grow only in the dry tropical forest of the southern and north-western part of the island. This tree, like other baobabs, can reach giant size – it grows up to 40 m tall and the diameter of the trunk may reach 6 meters!

Legend

Two such giants twisted together is a very unusual sight. Of course, locals have noticed these trees and a legend about this unusual natural monument was born.

Legend tells the following:

Once upon a time in two local villages were loving two young people boy and girl. They fell in love with each other. Unfortunately, each of them already had an assigned partner and could not marry.

They asked for the assistance of god – and as a result, baobabs were born and met.

References

1. Allée des Baobabs. Un site classé aire protégée, tribune.com. 1 August 2007.

Baobab Amoureux on the map

Location, GPS coordinates:	20.2114 S 44.4001 E
Categories:	Trees
Values:	Visual, Biology
Rating:
Where is located?	Africa, Madagascar, Menabe Region, 23 kilometres by road north-east from Morondava town, north from Avenue of the Baobabs, left turn from the road towards Belon’i Tsiribihina
Species:	Adansonia za

Video of Baobab Amoureux

Maurice Magnat, March 2019

Landmarks of Madagascar

Madagascar is very rich with surprising natural landmarks – created both by geological processes and living nature. Highlights of Madagascar are karst features, unusual ecosystems, gorgeous and rare gemstones.

Trees

Category includes some of the most impressive and interesting separate trees of the the world. Total number of tree species in the world still is a wild guess – may be 10,000 and may be 100,000 but most likely somewhere in between. Every month there are reported new tree species from the whole world, including the Western Europe.

Recommended books

The Remarkable Baobab

Standing tall on the sunburned plains of Africa and Australia, baobabs may be the oldest life forms on the planet. Many of the specimens still standing today have been around for well over two thousand years. Tremendous in size and bizarre in appearance, they have provided food, medicine, and places of refuge and worship to countless peoples, even serving as prisons and tombs on occasion.

Madagascar (Bradt Travel Guide)

A new, thoroughly updated 12th edition of Bradt’s Madagascar, the leading and most comprehensive guide to this unique island nation, written by Hilary Bradt, who first visited in 1976 and has returned roughly 35 times, and Daniel Austin, who has visited 12 times and continues to travel there annually. Bradt’s Madagascar is by far the most thorough guide to the country in English and includes contributions from over 50 experts in a book which has been the most authoritative guide to the country for three decades.