Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Broadleaf Evergreen
Origin
Eastern Africa, Middle Africa
North America, Northeastern United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States
Types
Kigelia africana
Ilex glabra, Ilex crenata, Ilex verticillata
Number of Varieties
93
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Riverine forest, wooded grassland
Coastal Regions, Lowland, Mountains, Subtropical climates, Suburban areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-125-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
9-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 12, 13, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
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
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm120.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
910.00 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Dark Red, Tan
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Tan
Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Pinnate
Ovate
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
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Average
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs a lot of water initially
Keep ground moist, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water more in summer, 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
Acidic, Neutral
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
No pruning needed in the early stages, Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Shape and thin as needed
Fertilizers
Balanced liquid fertilizer monthly
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Leaf spot, Mealybugs, Rust
Aphids
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Birds
Allergy
Poisonous when unripe
-
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
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Used to flavour beer, Used to produce a red dye
Can be made into a herbal tea
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Tropical
Mixed Border, Wildflower
Botanical Name
KIGELIA africana
ILEX glabra
Common Name
Sausage Tree
American Pokeweed, Inkberry, Silberstein American Pokeweed
In Hindi
Sausage Tree
Inkberry
In German
Sausage Tree
Inkberry
In French
saucisse Arbre
Inkberry
In Spanish
Árbol de salchicha
Inkberry
In Greek
λουκάνικο δέντρο
Inkberry
In Portuguese
Árvore de salsicha
Inkberry
In Polish
kiełbasa Drzewo
inkberry
In Latin
farciminis ligno
Inkberry
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Lamiales
Aquifoliales
Family
Bignoniaceae
Phytolaccaceae
Genus
Kaempferia
Ilex
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Tecomeae
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
9600
1
27800
👆🏻