Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Grass
Origin
Eastern Africa, Middle Africa
-
Types
Kigelia africana
Karl Feather Reed Grass
Avalanche
Eldorado
Overdam
Number of Varieties
93
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Riverine forest, wooded grassland
Forest margins, gardens, Grassland, Humid climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-125-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
9 - 5
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 12, 13, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
910.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Dark Red, Tan
Light brown
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
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Gold, Tan
Shape
Leaf Shape
Pinnate
Long linear and narrow
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Average
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Wet Site, Pollution, Salt, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Spores
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs a lot of water initially
Average Water Needs
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, 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
Pests and diseases free
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Birds
Allergy
Poisonous when unripe
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
-
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
Whole plant
Other Uses
Used to flavour beer, Used to produce a red dye
-
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Tropical
Dried Flower / Everlasting, Cutflower, Foundation, Mixed Border, Wildflower
Botanical Name
KIGELIA africana
CALAMAGROSTIS x acutiflora
Common Name
Sausage Tree
Feather Reed Grass
In Hindi
Sausage Tree
पंख ईख घास
In German
Sausage Tree
Feather Reed Grass
In French
saucisse Arbre
Feather Reed Herbe
In Spanish
Árbol de salchicha
Pluma Reed Hierba
In Greek
λουκάνικο δέντρο
Αστραπή Reed Χόρτο
In Portuguese
Árvore de salsicha
Pena Reed grama
In Polish
kiełbasa Drzewo
Pióro Reed trawy
In Latin
farciminis ligno
Pluma Grass
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Poales
Family
Bignoniaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Kaempferia
Calamagrostis
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Tecomeae
Aveneae
Subfamily
-
Pooideae
Number of Species
9260
1
27800
👆🏻