Hibernating Adansonia grandidieri / Baobab

[CodyORB]

A few weeks ago marked the end of summer for Northeast Florida when temperatures began to fall into the 50’s at night. The leaves were exhausted and ready to give out. I took the tree into the garage to overwinter in dormancy, where it will live off only the water stored in its trunk. Today I checked it out and I can say it is officially defoliated and in hibernation! This tree is only ~8 months old, first winter, and I am a bit nervous if it will actually make it when I take it back outside around April or May. Fingers crossed! Here it is in the final days outside: 

Edited November 22, 2020 by CodyORB
Modifier placement

[jimmyt]

@CodyORB are you going to give it any water during the dormant period?  Will it get light and heat inside the garage?

[CodyORB]

1 hour ago, jimmyt said:

@CodyORB are you going to give it any water during the dormant period?  Will it get light and heat inside the garage?

No water because I read they are vulnerable to fungal attacks. They store water in their trunk apparently.

It will get just a little light through the shuttered north-facing windows in the garage.

Garage is unheated and it will fluctuate between about 50F and 80F through the winter

 

[jimmyt]

That temp range is good.   I had also read that they need little to no water in the dormant season.  I was curious because I have smaller A. za, samibarensis, and rubrostipa in pots that will go into the greenhouse for the winter.  Lows in the greenhouse likely to get to around 40 F,  but warm sunny winter days here can heat it up even with ventilation and and exhaust fans.  Mine had already dropped their leaves but started regrowing when the temps went back up.  they are confused!  Less water is better then!

[greysrigging]

I would suggest no water necessary. We have mature ones ( indeed all species of Adansonia ) in the Darwin Botanical Gardens and they nearly all drop their leaves in the dry season.
My gregorii just coming into leaf now ( start of the wet season )