Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Tree
Origin
Latin America and the Caribbean
Eastern Africa, Middle Africa
Types
Heliconiaceae
Kigelia africana
Number of Varieties
1949
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Humid climates, Warmer regions
Riverine forest, wooded grassland
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-159-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 24
H1, H2, 12, 13, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Thicket/Colonizing
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Plant Size
Minimum Height
60.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
150.00 cm910.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Yellow, Red, Green, Orange, Orange Red
Dark Red, Tan
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red, Orange
Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Pinnate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Average
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
From Rhizomes, Micropropagation
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
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
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Pruning
Cut or pinch the stems, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Fertilize every two months
Balanced liquid fertilizer monthly
Pests and Diseases
Mealybugs, Nematodes, Red blotch, Soft scales
Leaf spot, Mealybugs, Rust
Plant Tolerance
Salt
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds, Insects
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Toxic
Poisonous when unripe
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Acne, Slow downs aging
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for birds
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Healing
Gynaecological, Malaria, STDs
Part of Plant Used
Root, Seeds
Dried seeds, Leaves
Other Uses
Florist trade and landscaping
Used to flavour beer, Used to produce a red dye
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Cutflower, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Tropical
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
HELICONIA psittacorum 'Lady Di'
KIGELIA africana
Common Name
Heliconia, Lady Di Heliconia, Parakeet Flower
Sausage Tree
In Hindi
Heliconia
Sausage Tree
In German
Heliconia
Sausage Tree
In French
Heliconia
saucisse Arbre
In Spanish
Heliconia
Árbol de salchicha
In Greek
Heliconia
λουκάνικο δέντρο
In Portuguese
Heliconia
Árvore de salsicha
In Polish
Heliconia
kiełbasa Drzewo
In Latin
Heliconia
farciminis ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Zingiberales
Lamiales
Family
Heliconiaceae
Bignoniaceae
Genus
Heliconia
Kaempferia
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Tecomeae
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
1989
1
27800
👆🏻