Adansonia rubrostipa extends along the west coast of Madagascar from near Itampolo in the southwest to Soalala in the northwest. It mainly occurs in spiny forest and dry deciduous forest on well-drained calcareous soils and on karstic limestone...

Adansonia rubrostipa has edible fruits, seeds, and roots (Perrier de la Bâthie, 1952b, 1953), but there is no documentation of them being utilized extensively in Madagascar. In Toliara, A. rubrostipa fruits are sometimes sold in the market. They are collected by climbing the small trees, often with the aid of wooden pegs hammered into the trunks. In the vicinity of Morondava, the wood of fire-killed trees is used as thatching (in the same manner as A. grandidieri). A species of fungus, with an edible and much sought after fruiting body, is said to grow only on dead A. rubrostipa and A. grandidieri trunks (Cabanis et al., 1970; personal observation)...

In view of its extensive geographical distribution Adansonia rubrostipa is conservationally secure, although some populations, such as those 30 km north of Toliara, are threatened by forest destruction for charcoal extraction. In western deciduous forests close to Morondava, A. rubrostipa is the dominant tree species and provides an important resource for lemurs (nectar, gum, insects) and insects (sap, nectar, leaves, seeds, and pollen) and probably other animals as well...