Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Tree
Origin
United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States, Texas, Mexico
Eastern Africa, Middle Africa
Types
-
Kigelia africana
Number of Varieties
29
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Cultivated Beds
Riverine forest, wooded grassland
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-119-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
11-7
12-9
Sunset Zone
H1, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 12, 13, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm910.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Magenta, Orange Red
Dark Red, Tan
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown, Red
Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Blue Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Blue Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Blue Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Arrowhead
Pinnate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Needs a lot of water initially
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Apply 10-10-10 amount
Balanced liquid fertilizer monthly
Pests and Diseases
-
Leaf spot, Mealybugs, Rust
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Toxic
Poisonous when unripe
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Borders
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Acne, Slow downs aging
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiemetic, Diuretic, Purgative, Tonic
Gynaecological, Malaria, STDs
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Dried seeds, Leaves
Other Uses
Used as a general tonic, Used as a rat poison, Used as a vegetable
Used to flavour beer, Used to produce a red dye
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall, Wildflower
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
ERYTHRINA herbacea
KIGELIA africana
Common Name
Red cardinal, Cardinal spear
Sausage Tree
In Hindi
Red Cardinal
Sausage Tree
In German
Red Cardinal
Sausage Tree
In French
Cardinal rouge
saucisse Arbre
In Spanish
Cárdenas
Árbol de salchicha
In Greek
κόκκινο Καρδινάλιος
λουκάνικο δέντρο
In Portuguese
Cardeal vermelho
Árvore de salsicha
In Polish
Red Cardinal
kiełbasa Drzewo
In Latin
Cardinalis Rubrum
farciminis ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fabales
Lamiales
Family
Fabaceae
Bignoniaceae
Genus
Erythrina
Kaempferia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Phaseoleae
Tecomeae
Subfamily
Faboideae
-
Number of Species
109
1
27800
👆🏻