Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Tree
Perennial
Origin
Eastern Africa, Middle Africa
North America, Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, North-Central United States, South-Central United States, Canada
Types
Kigelia africana
Herbaceous perennial
Number of Varieties
940
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Riverine forest, wooded grassland
Lakes, Pastures, Prairies, Roadsides, Swamps, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-123-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
9-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 12, 13, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 14, 15, 16, 17
Habit
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm61.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
910.00 cm25.40 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Dark Red, Tan
Red, Crimson, Dark Red
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Tan
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Purple, Dark Green, Burgundy
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Pinnate
Lanceolate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Poorly Drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Cuttings, Divison, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs a lot of water initially
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, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Poorly Drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Butterflies, Insects
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
Headache, Rheumatism, Stomach pain
Part of Plant Used
Dried seeds, Leaves
Flowers, Leaves, Root
Other Uses
Used to flavour beer, Used to produce a red dye
Medicinal oil, Showy Purposes
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Tropical
Bog Garden, Mixed Border, Water Gardens, Wildflower
Botanical Name
KIGELIA africana
LOBELIA cardinalis
Common Name
Sausage Tree
Cardinal Flower
In Hindi
Sausage Tree
Cardinal Flower
In German
Sausage Tree
Cardinal Flower
In French
saucisse Arbre
Cardinal Flower
In Spanish
Árbol de salchicha
Cardinal Flower
In Greek
λουκάνικο δέντρο
Καρδινάλιος λουλούδι
In Portuguese
Árvore de salsicha
Cardinal Flower
In Polish
kiełbasa Drzewo
Cardinal Flower
In Latin
farciminis ligno
Cardinalis Flower
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Asterales
Family
Bignoniaceae
Lobeliaceae
Genus
Kaempferia
Lobelia
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Tecomeae
-
Subfamily
-
Lobelioideae
Number of Species
956
1
27800
👆🏻