Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tender Perennial
Origin
Eastern Africa, Middle Africa
Southern Africa
Types
Kigelia africana
Perennial
Number of Varieties
950
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Riverine forest, wooded grassland
Desert, Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Temperate Regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-128-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
10-8
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 12, 13, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm61.30 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
910.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Dark Red, Tan
Yellow, Light Yellow, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Tan
Green, Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Pinnate
Grass like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Average
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Rhizome division, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs a lot of water initially
Requires regular watering
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Balanced liquid fertilizer monthly
Any balanced general purpose fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Leaf spot, Mealybugs, Rust
Nematodes, Scale
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
Coarse
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Poisonous when unripe
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Acne, Slow downs aging
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Ethnobotanic
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Gynaecological, Malaria, STDs
-
Part of Plant Used
Dried seeds, Leaves
Root
Other Uses
Used to flavour beer, Used to produce a red dye
Roots were worn to protect and strengthen the wearer, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Tropical
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Tropical, Water Gardens
Botanical Name
KIGELIA africana
DIETES bicolor
Common Name
Sausage Tree
African iris, Fortnight lily
In Hindi
Sausage Tree
African Iris
In German
Sausage Tree
Afrikanische Iris
In French
saucisse Arbre
African Iris
In Spanish
Árbol de salchicha
Iris africano
In Greek
λουκάνικο δέντρο
Αφρικανική Iris
In Portuguese
Árvore de salsicha
Iris africano
In Polish
kiełbasa Drzewo
Afryki Iris
In Latin
farciminis ligno
African Iris
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Asparagales
Family
Bignoniaceae
Iridaceae
Genus
Kaempferia
Dietes
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Tecomeae
Irideae
Subfamily
-
Iridoideae
Number of Species
9300
1
27800
👆🏻