Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
Eastern Africa, Middle Africa
New Zealand
Types
Kigelia africana
Metrosideros excelsa
Number of Varieties
98
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Riverine forest, wooded grassland
Coastal Regions, hedge rows, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-1210-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 12, 13, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 16, 17, 23, 24
Habit
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm910.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
910.00 cm610.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Dark Red, Tan
Red, Crimson
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Tan
Brown, Sandy Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Light Green, Dark Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Dark Green, Gray
Shape
Leaf Shape
Pinnate
Acicular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs a lot of water initially
Requires regular 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
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
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Birds, Hummingbirds
Allergy
Poisonous when unripe
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Used as Christmas tree, Used for making hedges
Beauty Benefits
Acne, Slow downs aging
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Gynaecological, Malaria, STDs
Astringent, Dysentry
Part of Plant Used
Dried seeds, Leaves
Flowers, Wood
Other Uses
Used to flavour beer, Used to produce a red dye
Application in Furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Tropical
Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
KIGELIA africana
METROSIDEROS excelsa
Common Name
Sausage Tree
New Zealand Christmas Tree, Pohutukawa
In Hindi
Sausage Tree
pohutukawa
In German
Sausage Tree
pohutukawa
In French
saucisse Arbre
pohutukawa
In Spanish
Árbol de salchicha
pohutukawa
In Greek
λουκάνικο δέντρο
pohutukawa
In Portuguese
Árvore de salsicha
pohutukawa
In Polish
kiełbasa Drzewo
pohutukawa
In Latin
farciminis ligno
pohutukawa
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Lamiales
Myrtales
Family
Bignoniaceae
Myrtaceae
Genus
Kaempferia
Metrosideros
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Tecomeae
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
912
1
27800
👆🏻