St. Croix’s Off the Beaten Trail – Discovering the Oldest Baobab Tree in the Caribbean!

There aren’t many Caribbean islands where you can find a tree that evokes an Avatar movie comparison, but on the tiny island of St. Croix in the Virgin Islands, that’s exactly what you’ll find — an Avatar-worthy Baobab Tree! The Grove Place baobab is estimated to be over 250 years old, a product of African seeds brought to St. Croix by enslaved Africans during their transatlantic voyage. Standing with a trunk girth of over 50 feet, this “Tree of Life” stands as an impressive testament to centuries-old Caribbean culture.

It’s known locally as “Guinea Almond” or “Guinea Tamarind.” Baobab trees grow up to 25 meters tall and can live for thousands of years. The Grove Place Baobab is not only remarkable for its size and age, but also for its ability to retain up to 30,000 gallons of water – surely enough hydration for any thirsty traveler looking to take a sip from this fountain of life! Blooming from early May til early October with beautiful hibiscus-like flowers that only come out at night. With its unique presence – quite literally “off the beaten path” as it resides on private property – the Grove Place Baobab serves as an interesting destination for those seeking out something different — Avatar fans can rejoice!

But how did the tree of African descent get to St Croix?

Told as though a fairy tale, the story goes as told by a wise man and a prince.  “The wise man told the prince, every night when you sleep, put a baobab seed in your mouth,” Not long after, the prince was kidnapped and sold into slavery. He kept the seed with him through all the trials and hardships of the Middle Passage before landing on St. Croix. “When he arrived, to spend the rest of his life on St. Croix, he planted that seed and tended it carefully until it grew tall and strong. And that is how the baobab came to St. Croix.”

Ironically, the basic outlines of this fable are true. Some 250 years ago, an African chose to carefully keep hold of a few baobab seeds through the transatlantic journey of a slave ship and chose to plant the tree where it is in Grove Place.  Through time, the descendants of that nameless African have flourished across St. Croix — and some may have even stood beneath their ancestor’s creation. The tree itself remains a symbol of that remarkable individual’s legacy – a living legacy that remains from an anonymous African life and a monument of courage that still stands tall today.

From both a historical and spiritual perspective, the Grove Place Baobab holds great significance for St. Croix; it was beneath its shade in which labor leader D. Hamilton Jackson gave speeches defending workers’ rights in the early 20th century and it was here that twelve women were burned alive in 1878 during Fireburn labor riots – an atrocity commemorated upon a bronze plaque at its base. As if being deeply rooted in history wasn’t enough, local legend says people have even taken shelter within its room-sized hollow trunk during hurricanes and one woman supposedly even gave birth inside it! Now that’s something memorable to tell old friends back home!

So if you’re looking for something truly magical on your next Caribbean adventure – something strangely Avatar-esque off the beaten path – then look no further than St. Croix’s historic Grove Place Baobab Tree!