Kigelia Pinnata 8 Seeds, Unusual African Sausage Tree Kigelia Africana Bonsai

The Plant Attraction

$3.99 

Kigelia Pinnata
Also known as: Kigelia Africana, African Sausage Tree, Cucumber Tree

This beautiful but highly unusual ornamental tree is native to most of South and South-East Africa, but now found in several tropical and subtropical regions of the world. It is a medium to large tree, growing 45-65 feet tall. 
Great for erosion control and often found near riverbanks. It can be used successfully for bonsai, the thick stem being an attractive feature. 

Blood red flowers hang in long panicles, begin to open at night and are pollinated by bats, insects and sun birds. Bees love them! When the flowers and leaves fall to the ground they become fodder and are eaten by game and livestock. The fruits resemble massive sausages that dangle from the limbs on long, rope-like stems and can grow up to 2 feet long, and weigh up to 15 lbs. Raw fruits are poisonous to humans although slices of baked fruit are added to beer to aid in fermentation. In times of food shortage, the seeds are roasted in hot ashes and eaten.

There are also a range of traditional uses for the fruit, varying from topical treatments for skin afflictions, to treatment for intestinal worms. There are some steroid chemicals found in the sausage tree that are currently added to commercially available shampoos and facial creams.

Its an evergreen where rainfall occurs throughout the year, but deciduous where there is a long dry season. Some sources say it is good in USDA zone 10 & 11 but we are in zone 9b and it can stand some frost and temperatures to 28F.

This offer is for 8 seeds.