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In the Gardens

Sausage Tree, Fetish Tree

Kigelia africana

Bloom time

From June to August.

Characteristics

The colour of the trumpet-shaped blossoms ranges from deep red to purple. They hang in loose panicles on long stalks. The typical sausage-like fruits are developing from the blossoms. Some are longish, others bulbous. The leaves of this tree that reaches a height of 5 m (5,5 yd.) are pinnate and fall off in winter.

Site:

You will find the Sausage Tree growing only in the south up to an altitude of 100 m (110 yd.). It is hardly ever cultivated in gardens and parks. Three beautiful specimens are situated in the Jardim Municipal in Funchal (198), another one in the Parque Santa Catarina (198). Two other specimens are to be found in the Quinta Magnólia (199).

Interesting to know:

The Sausage Tree is indigenous to West Africa. In this humid and warm regions it grows up to 20 m (22 yd.); the fruits may be up to 1 m (3,3‘) long and weigh up to 10 kg. The specimens that grow in Madeira’s gardens do not reach these dimen-sions. The fleshy fruits are inedible; anyway they are used in Africa by traditional medicine and magic. They are supposed to cure rheumatism, snake bits and syphilis as well as to protect from evil ghosts. The flowers only blossom one night. At daytime you only see buds or wilted blooms.

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