Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Tree
Sedge or Rush
Origin
Eastern Africa, Middle Africa
Southern Europe, United Kingdom, Northern Africa
Types
Kigelia africana
-
Number of Varieties
920
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Riverine forest, wooded grassland
Grassland, Humid climates, Riverbanks, Wet forest
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-128-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
11-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 12, 13, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm15.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
910.00 cm45.70 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Dark Red, Tan
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Tan
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Pinnate
Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Poorly Drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs a lot of water initially
Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Requires regular watering, Water when soil is dry
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
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
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
Insects
Allergy
Poisonous when unripe
Asthma, Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification
Beauty Benefits
Acne, Slow downs aging
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Gynaecological, Malaria, STDs
Digestion problems, Fever
Part of Plant Used
Dried seeds, Leaves
Whole plant
Other Uses
Used to flavour beer, Used to produce a red dye
Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Tropical
Bog Garden, Container, Edging, Rock Garden / Wall
Botanical Name
KIGELIA africana
ISOLEPIS cernua
Common Name
Sausage Tree
Low Bulrush
Slender Clubrush
In Hindi
Sausage Tree
फाइबर ऑप्टिक घास
In German
Sausage Tree
Lichtwellenleiter-Gras
In French
saucisse Arbre
Fibre optique Herbe
In Spanish
Árbol de salchicha
Hierba de fibra óptica
In Greek
λουκάνικο δέντρο
Οπτικών Ινών Grass
In Portuguese
Árvore de salsicha
Fibra Óptica Relva
In Polish
kiełbasa Drzewo
Światłowody Trawa
In Latin
farciminis ligno
Fiber opticus Grass
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Lamiales
Poales
Family
Bignoniaceae
Cyperaceae
Genus
Kaempferia
Isolepis
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Tecomeae
-
Subfamily
-
Pooideae
Number of Species
970
1
27800
👆🏻