Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Perennial
Origin
Eastern Africa, Middle Africa
United States, Canada
Types
Kigelia africana
-
Number of Varieties
910
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Riverine forest, wooded grassland
Cultivated Beds, Dappled Shade, Woodland Garden Canopy, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-124-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
9-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 12, 13, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
-
Habit
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm120.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
910.00 cm120.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Dark Red, Tan
White, Green, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Tan
Dark Purple
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Green, Burgundy
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Pinnate
Obtuse
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Average
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Divison, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
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
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
Prune in summer, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Balanced liquid fertilizer monthly
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Cadmium fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Leaf spot, Mealybugs, Rust
Mosaic viruses, Yellow Leaves
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Birds, Small mammals
Allergy
Poisonous when unripe
Abdominal pain, allergic reaction, cramps, Diarrhea, Nausea, Spasms, Toxic, Toxic if not prepared properly, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Beauty Benefits
Acne, Slow downs aging
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Food for animals, Food for birds
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Gynaecological, Malaria, STDs
Anodyne, anti-inflammatory, Antirheumatic, Arthritis, Curing mumps and measles, Homeopathy
Part of Plant Used
Dried seeds, Leaves
Flowers, Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Used to flavour beer, Used to produce a red dye
Used as an insecticide, Used for its medicinal properties, Used for making soaps, Used in making blue ink
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Tropical
Wildflower
Botanical Name
KIGELIA africana
PHYTOLACCA americana
Common Name
Sausage Tree
American Pokeweed, Inkberry, Pokeberry
In Hindi
Sausage Tree
POKEBERRY
In German
Sausage Tree
Kermesbeere
In French
saucisse Arbre
POKEBERRY
In Spanish
Árbol de salchicha
Pokeberry
In Greek
λουκάνικο δέντρο
POKEBERRY
In Portuguese
Árvore de salsicha
POKEBERRY
In Polish
kiełbasa Drzewo
alkiermes
In Latin
farciminis ligno
pokeberry
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Caryophyllales
Family
Bignoniaceae
Phytolaccaceae
Genus
Kaempferia
Phytolacca
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Tecomeae
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
935
1
27800
👆🏻