Life Span
Perennial
Biennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
Eastern Africa, Middle Africa
-
Types
Kigelia africana
Chinese red birch, Betula fruticosa, Betula ermanii
Number of Varieties
960
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Riverine forest, wooded grassland
Rocky areas, Sandy areas, Well Drained, Wet forest, Wet ground, Wet lands
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-124-7
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
7-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 12, 13, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
A2, A3, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 14, 15, 16
Habit
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Pyramidal
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm1,219.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
910.00 cm762.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Dark Red, Tan
Yellow, Tan
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Tan
Bronze, Sandy Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Yellow, Red, Orange
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Pinnate
Heart-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
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Average
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Early Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs a lot of water initially
Average Water Needs, Medium
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
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune in early spring, Prune in late winter, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove short branches
Fertilizers
Balanced liquid fertilizer monthly
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Fertilize in early spring, Fertilize in late fall, Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Leaf spot, Mealybugs, Rust
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
-
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Ants, Birds, Insects
Allergy
Poisonous when unripe
Itchiness, Pollen, Sore Throat
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
-
Beauty Benefits
Acne, Slow downs aging
Good for skin, Skin Problems
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Shadow Tree
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Gynaecological, Malaria, STDs
anti-inflammatory, Arthritis, Bone strength, Dermatitis, Eczema, Eliminate toxins, Heart problems, High cholestrol, Immunity, Kidney problems
Part of Plant Used
Dried seeds, Leaves
Whole plant
Other Uses
Used to flavour beer, Used to produce a red dye
Used in paper industry
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Tropical
Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
KIGELIA africana
BETULA 'Crimson Frost'
Common Name
Sausage Tree
Birch, Crimson Frost Birch
In Hindi
Sausage Tree
भोज पत्र
In German
Sausage Tree
Birke
In French
saucisse Arbre
Arbre de bouleau
In Spanish
Árbol de salchicha
Abedul
In Greek
λουκάνικο δέντρο
Birch Tree
In Portuguese
Árvore de salsicha
bétula
In Polish
kiełbasa Drzewo
Brzoza
In Latin
farciminis ligno
Caerulus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Fagales
Family
Bignoniaceae
Betulaceae
Genus
Kaempferia
Betula
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Tecomeae
-
Subfamily
-
Carpinaceae
Number of Species
934
1
27800
👆🏻