Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Tree
Tender Perennial
Origin
Eastern Africa, Middle Africa
Southeastern Asia
Types
Kigelia africana
Eddoe taro, Dasheen taro
Number of Varieties
9200
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Riverine forest, wooded grassland
agricultural areas, Hillside, Warm and moist climatic conditions
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-1210-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-8
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 12, 13, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Clump-Forming
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
White, Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Tan
Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Dark Green, Ivory
Shape
Leaf Shape
Pinnate
V-Shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Partial shade, Full Shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shallow soil
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container
How to Plant?
Seedlings
From Rhizomes
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs a lot of water initially
Needs 2-3 times watering per week, 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
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Partial shade, Full Shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
-
Fertilizers
Balanced liquid fertilizer monthly
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Less fertilizing
Pests and Diseases
Leaf spot, Mealybugs, Rust
Aphids, Rats, Snails
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Heat Tolerance, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shade areas
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
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
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Aphids, Bugs, Snails
Allergy
Poisonous when unripe
Swelling in mouth, Throat itching
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Acne, Slow downs aging
Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser, Weightloss
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent weeds
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Gynaecological, Malaria, STDs
Aging, Laxative, Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
Dried seeds, Leaves
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Other Uses
Used to flavour beer, Used to produce a red dye
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Tropical
Container, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
KIGELIA africana
ALOCASIA micholitziana
Common Name
Sausage Tree
Elephant Ear, Taro
In Hindi
Sausage Tree
अरवी
In German
Sausage Tree
Colocasia (Pflanzengattung)
In French
saucisse Arbre
Colocasia
In Spanish
Árbol de salchicha
Colocasia
In Greek
λουκάνικο δέντρο
Colocasia
In Portuguese
Árvore de salsicha
Colocasia
In Polish
kiełbasa Drzewo
Kolokazja
In Latin
farciminis ligno
Colocasia
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Arales
Family
Bignoniaceae
Araceae
Genus
Kaempferia
Alocasia
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Tecomeae
Colocasiodeae
Subfamily
-
Aroideae
Number of Species
910
1
27800
👆🏻