Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Bulb or Corm or Tuber
Origin
Eastern Africa, Middle Africa
Europe, Turkey, Central Asia, Western Asia
Types
Kigelia africana
Colchicum cupanii, Colchicum alpinum
Number of Varieties
945
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Riverine forest, wooded grassland
Fields, meadows, Rocky areas, Shaded sites, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-12-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
-
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 12, 13, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
21,22
Habit
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm7.60 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
910.00 cm7.60 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Dark Red, Tan
White, Yellow, Purple, Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Tan
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Several shades of Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Pinnate
Long Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, 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
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Early Spring, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall, Late Fall, Winter, Late Winter
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Divison, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs a lot of water initially
Do Not over Water, Medium, Needs less watering, Never Over-water, Requires regular watering, Water less during winter
In Summer
Lots of watering
Ample Water
In Spring
Moderate
Less Watering
In Winter
Average Water
Less Watering
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove shoots
Fertilizers
Balanced liquid fertilizer monthly
fertilize in growing season, Less fertilizing
Pests and Diseases
Leaf spot, Mealybugs, Rust
-
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single, Double
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
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Bees, Butterflies
Allergy
Poisonous when unripe
Kidney Disease, Low blood pressure, Stomach pain, Toxic, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Landscape Designing
Beauty Benefits
Acne, Slow downs aging
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent Soil Erosion
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Gynaecological, Malaria, STDs
anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, Diarrhea, Diuretic, Rheumatism
Part of Plant Used
Dried seeds, Leaves
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Used to flavour beer, Used to produce a red dye
Employed in herbal medicine, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Tropical
Alpine, Container, Cutflower, Foundation, Lawns and Turf, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Botanical Name
KIGELIA africana
COLCHICUM
Common Name
Sausage Tree
Colchicum
In Hindi
Sausage Tree
colchicum
In German
Sausage Tree
colchicum
In French
saucisse Arbre
colchique
In Spanish
Árbol de salchicha
Colchicum
In Greek
λουκάνικο δέντρο
Colchicum
In Portuguese
Árvore de salsicha
Colchicum
In Polish
kiełbasa Drzewo
Colchicum
In Latin
farciminis ligno
Colchicum
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Liliales
Family
Bignoniaceae
Liliaceae
Genus
Kaempferia
Colchicum
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Tecomeae
-
Subfamily
-
Wurmbaeiodeae
Number of Species
9160
1
27800
👆🏻