Kigelia africana

[Palms1984]

My year old Sausage tree is growing very well in the current heat and humidity in San Diego, CA. I started this little tree from seed in April of 2010 and it's 2.5 ft/76cm tall now.

[The Silent Seed]

I'm jealous! I keep trying seeds with NO luck. How did you do it ?

[leomx]

looking good, palms, its double the size of mine one and germinated at the same time last year. And Im in the tropics!! today noticed its defoliating but seems like it will flush. hope it rockets its speed growth (screen/privacy purposes).

[Palms1984]

I'm jealous! I keep trying seeds with NO luck. How did you do it ?

I plant the seeds directly into the soil and put into all day sun. I water every other day. I have another which just popped up a couple of days ago...I planted the seed about 2 weeks ago.

Here's a pic.

[Palms1984]

looking good, palms, its double the size of mine one and germinated at the same time last year. And Im in the tropics!! today noticed its defoliating but seems like it will flush. hope it rockets its speed growth (screen/privacy purposes).

Is your tree in the ground or in a pot? I have to transplant this tree into a 15 gallon pot...as it has lots of roots. I have noticed the bigger the pot, the faster it grows. It loves lots of water. Also, this plant hasn't received much fertilizer...not sure what its nutritional requirement are.

[leomx]

I put it the ground around august, last year. It was 15cm when I planted and got only to about 40 cm in the whole year. Just checked it and is definitely pushing up, finally.

We are having some serious drought for some years now (like the worst in 80 years) so couldnt irrigate that much it as I would like to. I just read its evergreen when irrigated but will defoliate in drought prone areas. It lost 1/3 of its leaves in the top half of the stem. Will see how it does this year.

[Peter]

Very nice Andy. I was at Gary Levin's yesterday and pulled a couple of large sausages off of his tree-not sure if they were ripe or even how to break into them. His tree was just starting to flower-very beautiful hanging flowers.

[BigFrond]

This tree should have no problem in So Cal because it is pretty tough. You should plant it at least 15 feet away from the house. I left one of mine in the pot and the roots just went straight into the ground. You can grow this tree from cuttings without any hormones quite easily. BTW, I hacked one of mine to the ground two times in 3 years because I didn't like the form and now it's about 8 feet tall. I still do not like the current form but I will leave it alone this time.

[BigFrond]

Very nice Andy. I was at Gary Levin's yesterday and pulled a couple of large sausages off of his tree-not sure if they were ripe or even how to break into them. His tree was just starting to flower-very beautiful hanging flowers.

I once tried to smash it onto the cement and it bounced back and blasted med in the noggin (very painful).

[MattyB]

My sausage

Here's the thread with pics of the sausage that I germinated. I ended up with a bunch of plants. They don't really like pots, I've found, because they throw roots down to the bottom and then they circle looking for a way to go deeper, suspending growth until you pot them up. I've got a few around now, I should sell a couple.

[Alan_Tampa]

The seeds need to be run through a giraffe first. Or lacking a giraffe try scuffing the seeds a bit. ( this for those with trouble germinating)

Alan

[Jason in Orlando]

I have a two year old that's considerably smaller than the one in the photo. Really nice. How cold hardy are these trees? I know there's a large one growing at Leu Gardens in Orlando, and mine came from a seed from the one at Disney's Animal Kingdom, but those are definitely different micro-climates from what I have.

Jason

[Palms1984]

My sausage

Here's the thread with pics of the sausage that I germinated. I ended up with a bunch of plants. They don't really like pots, I've found, because they throw roots down to the bottom and then they circle looking for a way to go deeper, suspending growth until you pot them up. I've got a few around now, I should sell a couple.

MattyB:

I have the same experience...once their roots hit the bottom of the pot the plant stops growing. It's amazing how quickly it happens, also.

[Palms1984]

I have a two year old that's considerably smaller than the one in the photo. Really nice. How cold hardy are these trees? I know there's a large one growing at Leu Gardens in Orlando, and mine came from a seed from the one at Disney's Animal Kingdom, but those are definitely different micro-climates from what I have.

Jason

Sausage trees are suppose to be very tender, however, I've never seen one damaged by cold or cool weather in San Diego.

[Palms1984]

Very nice Andy. I was at Gary Levin's yesterday and pulled a couple of large sausages off of his tree-not sure if they were ripe or even how to break into them. His tree was just starting to flower-very beautiful hanging flowers.

Peter:

Thanks! Good luck planting the seeds!

[The Silent Seed]

Does anybody have fresh seeds I could swap you for ? None of the seeds I have gotten off Ebay grew.

[Palms1984]

I put it the ground around august, last year. It was 15cm when I planted and got only to about 40 cm in the whole year. Just checked it and is definitely pushing up, finally.

We are having some serious drought for some years now (like the worst in 80 years) so couldnt irrigate that much it as I would like to. I just read its evergreen when irrigated but will defoliate in drought prone areas. It lost 1/3 of its leaves in the top half of the stem. Will see how it does this year.

If you're in a tropical climate and if your sausage tree doesn't get enough water, it will definitely be stunted. My tree gets some water every day or every other day, depending on how hot the weather. In their native habitat they grow along streams.

[cfkingfish]

I love the tree, but don't plant it over any parking areas. I have dings on the hood of my old Landcruiser from driving in and out of the entrance to Montgomery's research center, there is a 50 footer at the gate.

[The Silent Seed]

Kingfish - is this the Montgomery Botanical Center? If so, could you do me a favor and look at the Pachira sp. from the Domincian Republic, and see if we can track down the exact species, since I have seedlings from that tree now (Bought the seeds) - As for the Sausage Tree - that's awesome! I wish I could find some

[MattyB]

I noticed that one of mine had a nice red flush of new leaves. I didn't know it did that. I got excited and planted it immediately.

[QUINNPALMS]

I always thought mine was called kigelia pinnata is that the same as Africana?

[Matt in SD]

I filed the outer coat off of a small spot on the edge of the seed and then soaked in water until they swelled. This leads to 100% germinatino within about 24 hours once you plant with some heat.

Matt, I think all/most of mine have reddish new growth. I think this is pretty normal.

And to get into the sausage, I used the claw side of a hammer. A chisel would work as well. You have to get something into to there and then pry it open. We got about 15 seeds out and quit. It's pretty tough. But we have 10 plants from those seeds, they're very robust growers.

Matt

[MattyB]

So 10 plants from 15 seeds is 100% germination? I'm glad that you're the PhD. and not me.

[Palms1984]

I noticed that one of mine had a nice red flush of new leaves. I didn't know it did that. I got excited and planted it immediately.

My trees have red flushes of new leaves, also. I believe this is very common for Sausage trees.

[MattyB]

I went out and karate chopped down a Delonix regia that has been struggling for 4 years, and put this in it's place. I've still got 2 more Delonix in the ground, but if they don't shape up soon they're outta there.

[paulgila]

So 10 plants from 15 seeds is 100% germination? I'm glad that you're the PhD. and not me.

hahahaha yer such a jerk sometimes!

[Matt in SD]

Germinated seeds don't equal plants a year later dewd. These are my definitions:

Seed = seed

Germinated seed = germinated seed before full leaf formed

seedling = up to first 3-4 leaves, up to the point that the seed energy is no longer required

plant = Past the 3-4 leaf stage (in the case of a dicot tree, a woody trunk would lead me to call it a "plant" rather than a seedling)

But you're right, my PhD is not in math.

Matt

[Palms1984]

I always thought mine was called kigelia pinnata is that the same as Africana?

It is the same.

[Palms1984]

I went out and karate chopped down a Delonix regia that has been struggling for 4 years, and put this in it's place. I've still got 2 more Delonix in the ground, but if they don't shape up soon they're outta there.

AAAWWW! Poor Delonix regia!