Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Shrub
Origin
Eastern Africa, Middle Africa
Eastern Asia, Malaysia
Types
Kigelia africana
Plectranthus scutellarioides
Number of Varieties
9150
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Riverine forest, wooded grassland
gardens, Subtropical climates, tropical environments
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-1211-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
-
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 12, 13, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
-
Habit
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Bushy, Evergreen
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
910.00 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Dark Red, Tan
-
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Tan
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green, Red, Green, Purple
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Red, Green, Purple
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Red, Green, Purple
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Red, Green, Purple
Shape
Leaf Shape
Pinnate
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Damp
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Wet Site
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs a lot of water initially
Requires a lot of watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Ample Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Damp
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
cut main flower spike, Cut or pinch the stems
Fertilizers
Balanced liquid fertilizer monthly
Full-strength liquid fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Leaf spot, Mealybugs, Rust
Downy mildew, Red blotch, Stem rot
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Wet Site
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
Flower Petal Number
Single
-
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
-
Allergy
Poisonous when unripe
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes, Used for making hedges
Beauty Benefits
Acne, Slow downs aging
Weightloss
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Provides ground cover, Soil protection, soil stabilisation
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Gynaecological, Malaria, STDs
Asthma, Glaucoma, High blood pressure, Liver Protection, Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
Dried seeds, Leaves
Leaves
Other Uses
Used to flavour beer, Used to produce a red dye
Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties, useful as a ground cover
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Tropical
Container, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
KIGELIA africana
Plectranthus scutellarioides
Common Name
Sausage Tree
Coleus, Painted nettle
In Hindi
Sausage Tree
Coleus
In German
Sausage Tree
Buntnessel
In French
saucisse Arbre
Vieux garçon
In Spanish
Árbol de salchicha
coleo
In Greek
λουκάνικο δέντρο
Coleus
In Portuguese
Árvore de salsicha
cóleus
In Polish
kiełbasa Drzewo
Coleus
In Latin
farciminis ligno
Coleus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Lamiales
Family
Bignoniaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Kaempferia
Coleus
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Tecomeae
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
9150
1
27800
👆🏻