Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vines
Tree
Origin
Africa, South America, Southeast Asia
Eastern Africa, Middle Africa
Types
Oriental Bittersweet, American Bittersweet
Kigelia africana
Number of Varieties
509
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
All sorts of environments
Riverine forest, wooded grassland
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-129-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 12, 13, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Plant Size
Minimum Height
3,050.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
1,520.00 cm910.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green, Light Yellow, Yellow green
Dark Red, Tan
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Light Yellow, Red
Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Round with toothed margin
Pinnate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
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
Late Winter
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Pollution, Drought, Salt
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not water frequently
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
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove dead branches
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Does not require fertilizer once established
Balanced liquid fertilizer monthly
Pests and Diseases
Leaf rust, Thripes
Leaf spot, Mealybugs, Rust
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Sun
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Coarse
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Fruit Bats, Hummingbirds
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Chest Pain, Inflammation, Skin rash, Vomiting
Poisonous when unripe
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Bouquets
-
Beauty Benefits
For treating wrinkles, Skin cleanser
Acne, Slow downs aging
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for birds, Suppresses or replaces native plants
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antibacterial, antimicrobial, Antispasmodic
Gynaecological, Malaria, STDs
Part of Plant Used
Seeds
Dried seeds, Leaves
Other Uses
Application in Handicrafts, Used as a nemiticide, Used for its medicinal properties
Used to flavour beer, Used to produce a red dye
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
Celastrus orbiculatus
KIGELIA africana
Common Name
Oriental bittersweet, Asian bittersweet
Sausage Tree
In Hindi
Asian bittersweet
Sausage Tree
In German
Rundblättriger Baumwürger
Sausage Tree
In French
Asian bittersweet
saucisse Arbre
In Spanish
Asian bittersweet
Árbol de salchicha
In Greek
Asian bittersweet
λουκάνικο δέντρο
In Portuguese
Asian bittersweet
Árvore de salsicha
In Polish
Dławisz okrągłolistny
kiełbasa Drzewo
In Latin
Asian bittersweet
farciminis ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Celastrales
Lamiales
Family
Celastraceae
Bignoniaceae
Genus
Celastrus
Kaempferia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Tecomeae
Subfamily
Celastroideae
-
Number of Species
409
1
27800
👆🏻