Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Eastern Africa, Middle Africa
Mexico
Types
Kigelia africana
Opuntia ficus-indica
Number of Varieties
98
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Riverine forest, wooded grassland
Desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-128-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-5
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
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm240.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
910.00 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Dark Red, Tan
Yellow, Red, Orange
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Tan
Reddish Plum
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Pinnate
Globe shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loamy, Sandy, Well drained
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Grafting, Seedlings, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs a lot of water initially
Does not require lot of watering, Water once every two or three weeks, Water when soil is dry
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
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune ocassionally, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Balanced liquid fertilizer monthly
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Leaf spot, Mealybugs, Rust
Aphids, Caterpillars, Cochineal insect, Mealybugs, Nematodes, Red spider mite, Rodent, Root rot, Scale, Slugs, Snails, Thripes, Viruses, Worms
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
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Aphids, Birds, Rodents
Allergy
Poisonous when unripe
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Acne, Slow downs aging
Nourishes scalp, Reduce Bruises, Remove blemishes
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Gynaecological, Malaria, STDs
Antioxidants, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Hangover
Part of Plant Used
Dried seeds, Leaves
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Used to flavour beer, Used to produce a red dye
Biomass for fuel, Employed in herbal medicine, Fine spines and trichomes are used as fiber for weaving, Oil is used for aromatherapy, Showy Purposes, Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Tropical
Container, Feature Plant, Fruit, Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
KIGELIA africana
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
Common Name
Sausage Tree
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
In Hindi
Sausage Tree
Opuntia ficus-indica
In German
Sausage Tree
Opuntia ficus-indica
In French
saucisse Arbre
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Spanish
Árbol de salchicha
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Greek
λουκάνικο δέντρο
Φραγκοσυκιά
In Portuguese
Árvore de salsicha
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Polish
kiełbasa Drzewo
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Latin
farciminis ligno
Opuntia ficus-indica
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Caryophyllales
Family
Bignoniaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Kaempferia
Opuntia Mill
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Tribe
Tecomeae
Opuntieae
Subfamily
-
Opuntioideae
Number of Species
92
1
27800
👆🏻