Most of us have felt inclined at one point or another to grab a nice cold drink, and relax beneath a tree—but what about having a nice cold drink INSIDE a tree? If you ever had the chance to visit the Sunland Baobab tree, you could have done just that!
This massive, ancient Baobab (Adansonia digitate) located near Modjadjiskloof, South Africa had been hosting patrons since 1933, but to the dismay of many, recently split in April 2017. Luckily a large portion of this gargantuan tree still survives! The Sunland Baobab is world-renowned for its massive size. With a circumference of over 108 feet, and a hollowed trunk with 13 feet ceilings, the Pub Tree was able to comfortably seat up to fifteen patrons.
Even without a functioning bar inside, the Baobab is a unique species of tree. Baobab is the common name for several similar species of trees in the genus Adansonia. Their unusual shapes and massive sizes have long been a source of intrigue. Folklore speculates that the Baobabs’ irregular shapes are somehow associated with the devil—but science tells another story. The tissues within the Baobab’s bark have been specialized to store massive amounts of water in order to combat seasonal droughts, and their irregular branch configurations can be attributed to adapting in order to absorb the most amount of sunlight possible.