Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Grass
Tree
Origin
-
Eastern Africa, Middle Africa
Types
Karl Feather Reed Grass
Avalanche
Eldorado
Overdam
Kigelia africana
Number of Varieties
39
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Forest margins, gardens, Grassland, Humid climates
Riverine forest, wooded grassland
USDA Hardiness Zone
5-99-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9 - 5
12-9
Sunset Zone
2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 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
60.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm910.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light brown
Dark Red, Tan
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Gold, Tan
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Long linear and narrow
Pinnate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Average
Bloom Time
Summer, Late Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site, Pollution, Salt, Soil Compaction
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Spores
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Pruning
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Balanced liquid fertilizer monthly
Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases free
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
Fine
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Skin irritation
Poisonous when unripe
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Acne, Slow downs aging
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Gynaecological, Malaria, STDs
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Dried seeds, Leaves
Other Uses
-
Used to flavour beer, Used to produce a red dye
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Dried Flower / Everlasting, Cutflower, Foundation, Mixed Border, Wildflower
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
CALAMAGROSTIS x acutiflora
KIGELIA africana
Common Name
Feather Reed Grass
Sausage Tree
In Hindi
पंख ईख घास
Sausage Tree
In German
Feather Reed Grass
Sausage Tree
In French
Feather Reed Herbe
saucisse Arbre
In Spanish
Pluma Reed Hierba
Árbol de salchicha
In Greek
Αστραπή Reed Χόρτο
λουκάνικο δέντρο
In Portuguese
Pena Reed grama
Árvore de salsicha
In Polish
Pióro Reed trawy
kiełbasa Drzewo
In Latin
Pluma Grass
farciminis ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Poales
Lamiales
Family
Poaceae
Bignoniaceae
Genus
Calamagrostis
Kaempferia
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Aveneae
Tecomeae
Subfamily
Pooideae
-
Number of Species
2609
1
27800
👆🏻