Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
Eastern Africa, Middle Africa
Southern Asia, Southeastern Asia, India, Nepal
Types
Kigelia africana
Rubber Plant, Rubber Fig
Number of Varieties
960
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Riverine forest, wooded grassland
agricultural areas, Along Railroads, Coastal Regions, Forests, Roadsides, Scrubs, Suburban areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-1210-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-10
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 12, 13, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm180.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
910.00 cm90.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Dark Red, Tan
-
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Tan
Yellow, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Red, Dark Green, Crimson
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Red, Dark Green, Crimson
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Red, Dark Green, Crimson
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Red, Dark Green, Crimson
Shape
Leaf Shape
Pinnate
Elliptic to oblong
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
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Vegetative Reproduction
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs a lot of water initially
Keep ground moist, Requires a lot of watering
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, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune for shortening long shoots
Fertilizers
Balanced liquid fertilizer monthly
don't fertilize in winter
Pests and Diseases
Leaf spot, Mealybugs, Rust
Mealybugs, Red blotch, Scale, Spider mites, Yellow Leaves
Plant Tolerance
Drought
-
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
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
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
-
Allergy
Poisonous when unripe
Asthma, breathing problems
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Acne, Slow downs aging
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, soil erosion prevension on hill slopes
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Gynaecological, Malaria, STDs
-
Part of Plant Used
Dried seeds, Leaves
Latex
Other Uses
Used to flavour beer, Used to produce a red dye
Making rubber, Making tyres
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Tropical
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Shade Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
KIGELIA africana
FICUS elastica
Common Name
Sausage Tree
Rubber Plant
In Hindi
Sausage Tree
रबड़ का पौधा
In German
Sausage Tree
Ficus elastica
In French
saucisse Arbre
Ficus elastica
In Spanish
Árbol de salchicha
ficus
In Greek
λουκάνικο δέντρο
ελαστικός φίκος
In Portuguese
Árvore de salsicha
fábrica de borracha
In Polish
kiełbasa Drzewo
gumy roślin
In Latin
farciminis ligno
Flexilis herba
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Rosales
Family
Bignoniaceae
Moraceae
Genus
Kaempferia
Ficus
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Tecomeae
Ficeae
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
9800
1
27800
👆🏻