Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Eastern Africa, Middle Africa
North America, Southwestern United States, Mexico
Types
Kigelia africana
Colville's Barrel Cactus, Long-spined Barrel Cactus, Barrel Cactus
Number of Varieties
929
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Riverine forest, wooded grassland
limestone outcrops, Rocky areas, Semi desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-1212-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-10
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 12, 13, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
12, 13, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm40.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
910.00 cm13.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Dark Red, Tan
Yellow, Magenta
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Tan
Pink, Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
-
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Pinnate
-
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
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
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs a lot of water initially
Needs good drainage, Needs very little water, Water carefully
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
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
-
Fertilizers
Balanced liquid fertilizer monthly
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Leaf spot, Mealybugs, Rust
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
-
Allergy
Poisonous when unripe
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Showy Purposes
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
Dried seeds, Leaves
Flowers
Other Uses
Used to flavour beer, Used to produce a red dye
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Tropical
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
KIGELIA africana
ECHINOCACTUS horizonthalonius
Common Name
Sausage Tree
Devilshead, Turk's head cactus, Blue barrel cactus, Eagle's claw, Horse maimer, Horse crippler, Visnaga meloncillo
In Hindi
Sausage Tree
Blue barrel cactus
In German
Sausage Tree
Blau Faßkaktus
In French
saucisse Arbre
Bleu barrel cactus
In Spanish
Árbol de salchicha
biznaga Azul
In Greek
λουκάνικο δέντρο
Μπλε βαρέλι κάκτος
In Portuguese
Árvore de salsicha
cacto de tambor azul
In Polish
kiełbasa Drzewo
Niebieski baryłkę kaktus
In Latin
farciminis ligno
Blue Cactus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Caryophyllales
Family
Bignoniaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Kaempferia
Echinocactus
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Tecomeae
Cacteae
Subfamily
-
Cactaceae
Number of Species
929
1
27800
👆🏻