Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Tree
Origin
Southern Africa
Eastern Africa, Middle Africa
Types
Carissa bispinosa, Carissa carandas
Kigelia africana
Number of Varieties
209
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Tropical regions
Riverine forest, wooded grassland
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-119-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-9
Sunset Zone
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 12, 13, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
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
White
Dark Red, Tan
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Light Red
Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
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
Dark Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Elliptic and Ovate
Pinnate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Shade areas
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Vegetative Reproduction
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Requires regular watering, Water daily during growing season, Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
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
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune to control growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
fertilize in growing season, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
Balanced liquid fertilizer monthly
Pests and Diseases
Insects, Red blotch, Scale, Spider mites, Thripes, Whiteflies
Leaf spot, Mealybugs, Rust
Plant Tolerance
Shade areas
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
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Toxic
Poisonous when unripe
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Bonsai, Cottage Garden, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Acne, Slow downs aging
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Gynaecological, Malaria, STDs
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Fruits
Dried seeds, Leaves
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, 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
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Edible, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
CARISSA macrocarpa
KIGELIA africana
Common Name
Carissia
Sausage Tree
In Hindi
Carissa
Sausage Tree
In German
carissa
Sausage Tree
In French
carissa
saucisse Arbre
In Spanish
carissa
Árbol de salchicha
In Greek
carissa
λουκάνικο δέντρο
In Portuguese
carissa
Árvore de salsicha
In Polish
carissa
kiełbasa Drzewo
In Latin
carissa
farciminis ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Gentianales
Lamiales
Family
Apocynaceae
Bignoniaceae
Genus
Carissa
Kaempferia
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Carisseae
Tecomeae
Subfamily
Rauvolfioideae
-
Number of Species
1009
1
27800
👆🏻