The sausage tree or Kigelia pinnata is a unique tree which is native to tropical regions of Africa. Alas, this tree does not actually produce sausages, but its distinctive fruit does closely resemble the meat product for which it is named.
What kind of tree is a sausage tree?
, and sausage tree. Sausage tree, ( Kigelia africana ), tropical tree, the only species of its genus (family Bignoniaceae). It grows 6 to 12 metres (20 to 40 feet) tall and bears sausagelike fruits, 30 to 60 cm (1 to 2 feet) long, which hang down on long, cordlike stalks. It is native to Africa. The tree’s flowers, about 10 cm (4 inches) wide,.
Secondly, if you consume the tree’s fruits raw, they’re highly poisonous. So that one’s pretty literal.
This of course begs the query “What is a Kigelia sausage tree?”
In areas of plentiful rainfall, the Kigelia is an evergreen. In areas of scant rain, sausage trees are deciduous. The leaves are set in whorls of three, 12-20 inches (30-50 cm.) in length and 2 ¼ inches (6 cm.) wide. The most interesting thing about growing Kigelia sausage trees are the blossoms and resulting fruit.
What is a sausage tree fruit?
In the Ndebele culture, the tree plays a particular role in the death of a family member. Legend has it that when a loved one dies far from home, the Ndebele people will bury a sausage tree fruit in place of the body. Sausage tree fruit is a regular ingredient in many traditional medicines and can help treat multiple ailments.
Are sausage trees poisonous?
Beyond potential poisonousness, and the very real chance of inebriation, there’s another good reason to be cautious of the sausage tree and its famous fruits: their size. Dense and fibrous, the fruits can grow to over three feet in length, weighing upwards of 22 pounds.
The sausage tree fruit is edible to monkeys, baboons, elephants, birds and other creatures that are particularly fond of the fibrous pulp. These animals ultimately deposit the fruit seeds through their dung, which helps to spread the species.
How long does it take a sausage tree to grow?
Sausage trees are fast growing in the right conditions and can reach 50 feet in height. Baboons will dine on sausage tree fruit. Semi-deciduous with flaky, brown bark, these trees are mature at four to six years and flower from winter to early summer.
Where do sausages grow in Africa?
Know about Sausage Tree Kigelia Africana belongs to family Bignoniaceae and has extensive geographical distribution in West and Central Africa. The tree is found on river banks, wet areas along streams and on foodplains of Nigeria, Kenya, Cameroon, Senegal and Guinea.