Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Shrub
Origin
Eastern Africa, Middle Africa
Southern Africa
Types
Kigelia africana
Carissa Carandas
Number of Varieties
94
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Riverine forest, wooded grassland
Coastal bush land, Sandy areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-129-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 12, 13, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Cushion/Mound-forming
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
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Tan
Hot Pink, Magenta, Purple, Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Pinnate
Oval to roundish
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
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
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
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 branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Balanced liquid fertilizer monthly
Equal amount of N,P,K
Pests and Diseases
Leaf spot, Mealybugs, Rust
Aphids
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Birds
Allergy
Poisonous when unripe
Mildly Toxic
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
along a porch, deck or patio, Ground Cover, small hedge
Beauty Benefits
Acne, Slow downs aging
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Gynaecological, Malaria, STDs
Iron, Potassium, Vitamin C
Part of Plant Used
Dried seeds, Leaves
Fruits
Other Uses
Used to flavour beer, Used to produce a red dye
Cake, Jam, Jelly, Sauces
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Tropical
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Edible, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Botanical Name
KIGELIA africana
CARISSA macrocarpa 'Emerald Blanket'
Common Name
Sausage Tree
Large Num-Num
In Hindi
Sausage Tree
नेटाल बेर
In German
Sausage Tree
Natal Plum
In French
saucisse Arbre
natal Plum
In Spanish
Árbol de salchicha
Ciruela Natal
In Greek
λουκάνικο δέντρο
Natal Plum
In Portuguese
Árvore de salsicha
Natal Plum
In Polish
kiełbasa Drzewo
Natal Plum
In Latin
farciminis ligno
Natal Plum
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Gentianales
Family
Bignoniaceae
Apocynaceae
Genus
Kaempferia
Carissa
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Tecomeae
Carisseae
Subfamily
-
Rauvolfioideae
Number of Species
920
1
27800
👆🏻