Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
Eastern Africa, Middle Africa
China, Korea
Types
Kigelia africana
Castanea mollissima
Number of Varieties
920
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Riverine forest, wooded grassland
disturbed sites, Forest edges
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-124-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
8-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 12, 13, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17
Habit
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Spreading
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
910.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Dark Red, Tan
White, Light Yellow, Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Tan
Light Green, Chartreuse
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Gray Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Yellow, Gold, Tan
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Pinnate
Lobed
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs a lot of water initially
Do Not over Water, Medium, Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Adequately
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune in fall, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Balanced liquid fertilizer monthly
Nitrogen, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Leaf spot, Mealybugs, Rust
Beetles, Leafhoppers
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
-
Allergy
Poisonous when unripe
Mild Allergen
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
-
Beauty Benefits
Acne, Slow downs aging
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for animals, Food for birds, Food for insects, Nesting sites for birds, Prevent Soil Erosion
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Gynaecological, Malaria, STDs
Low calories, Nutrients
Part of Plant Used
Dried seeds, Leaves
Fruits, Seeds, Stem
Other Uses
Used to flavour beer, Used to produce a red dye
Food for animals, Used as firewood, Used As Food, Used in biomass
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Tropical
Edible, Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees
Botanical Name
KIGELIA africana
CASTANEA mollissima
Common Name
Sausage Tree
Chinese Chestnut
In Hindi
Sausage Tree
चीनी अखरोट
In German
Sausage Tree
chinesische Kastanie
In French
saucisse Arbre
châtaignier chinois
In Spanish
Árbol de salchicha
Castaño chino
In Greek
λουκάνικο δέντρο
Κινέζικο κάστανο
In Portuguese
Árvore de salsicha
castanha chinesa
In Polish
kiełbasa Drzewo
Kasztan chiński
In Latin
farciminis ligno
Chinese Chestnut
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Fagales
Family
Bignoniaceae
Fagaceae
Genus
Kaempferia
Castanea
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Tecomeae
Gloxinieae
Subfamily
-
Cassidinae
Number of Species
915
1
27800
👆🏻