Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

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Is the Sausage Tree from Africa edible? A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Is the Sausage Tree from Africa edible?

Sausage Tree - Kigelia pinnata, fruit

Sausage Tree - Kigelia pinnata, fruit

Sausage Tree - Kigelia pinnata, fruit

Sausage Tree - Kigelia pinnata, fruit

Sausage Tree - Kigelia pinnata

Sausage Tree - Kigelia pinnata

Sausage Tree - Kigelia pinnata, fruit

Sausage Tree - Kigelia pinnata, fruit

🌭 Is the Sausage Tree from Africa edible?

Despite the tempting name, the sausages that grow on the Sausage Tree don't actually taste like the sausages you're thinking of, but... in a nutshell, they are still edible! Let's dive into the details...
  • 🌭The Sausage Tree (Kigelia pinnata, also known as Kigelia africana) is a striking tropical tree native to sub-Saharan Africa, renowned for its large, sausage-shaped fruits that can grow up to 2 feet long and weigh up to 15 pounds.
  • 🌭While the Sausage Tree's fruit is technically edible, it is toxic when raw. To safely consume the fruit, it must undergo specific processing methods:


  • Drying: The fruit is dried thoroughly to reduce toxicity.
    Roasting or Baking: These methods help neutralize harmful compounds.
    Fermentation: In some cultures, the fruit is fermented, often with sugarcane juice or honey, to create traditional beverages like muratina in Kenya.
  • 🌭Even with these preparations, caution is advised. It's essential to consult with local experts or traditional practitioners before attempting to consume Sausage Tree fruit.
  • 🌭Various parts of the tree, including the fruit, bark, and leaves, have been used to treat ailments such as ulcers, skin infections.
  • 🌭In some African cultures, the fruit is associated with fertility and is used in rituals. The tree's presence is often considered auspicious.
  • 🌭Although the Sausage Tree might not be winning any awards for your dinner table, it's definitely a showstopper in the yard. Think of it as the ultimate conversation starter and the weirdest, most fascinating collectible you'll ever grow!


🛒 Grab your Sausage Tree now - impress your guests!

📚 Learn more about Sausage Tree:
Meet the tree everyone's talking about: sausages growing on a tree!

#Nature_Wonders #Trees #Discover

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How to get a large, lush and fragrant bush in no time. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

How to get a large, lush and fragrant bush in no time

Clerodendrum bungei - Glory Bower, Cashmere bouquet

💐 How to get a large, lush and fragrant bush in no time
  • 💐 Looking for a fragrant, fast-growing shrub that adds beauty and privacy to your garden? Clerodendrum bungei - Glory Bower, Cashmere bouquet - is an excellent choice.​


  • Key Benefits:
  • 💐 Fragrant Blooms: Enjoy clusters of sweetly scented, pink flowers that attract butterflies and other pollinators. They open in terminal panicles up to six inches across.
  • 💐 Versatile Growth: Dark green leaves often tinged purple are up to 8 inches long. This plant can be grown as a compact shrub or allowed to spread. This plant is incredibly vigorous and fast-growing, spreading quickly through root suckers. If you don’t want it to take over your yard in just one season, make sure to plant it in a contained corner or a container.
  • 💐 Hardy and Resilient: Cashmere Bouquet is hardy to USDA Zones 8-10 and can tolerate light freezes, rejuvenating each spring. ​
  • 💐 Low Maintenance: It thrives in full sun to part shade and is drought-tolerant once established. ​Keep the soil moist during the growing season. ​Regular pruning helps maintain its shape and encourages more blooms. ​


🛒 Buy Clerodendrum bungei – Cashmere Bouquet

📚 More about Clerodendrums in previous posts:

#Hedges_with_benefits #Perfume_Plants #Container_Garden #Butterfly_Plants

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Go for the great. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Go for the great

Go for the great
⬆️ Go for the great

"Don't be afraid to give up the good to go for the great."
- John D. Rockefeller

🐈 PeopleCats.Garden 
#PeopleCats #Quotes

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Top irresistible vines for a hummingbird haven. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Top irresistible vines for a hummingbird haven

Thunbergia mysorensis - Clock Vine

Thunbergia mysorensis - Clock Vine

Bignonia capreolata - Crossvine

Bignonia capreolata - Crossvine

Tecomaria capensis - Cape Honeysuckle

Tecomaria capensis - Cape Honeysuckle

Passiflora coccinea - Passion Flower

Passiflora coccinea - Passion Flower

Ipomoea - Prince Kuhio Vine

Ipomoea - Prince Kuhio Vine

Lonicera japonica - Japanese Honeysuckle

Lonicera japonica - Japanese Honeysuckle

Antigonon leptopus - Mexican Coral Vine

Antigonon leptopus - Mexican Coral Vine

Pyrostegia venusta - Flame Vine

Pyrostegia venusta - Flame Vine

🕊 Top irresistible vines for a hummingbird haven. Part 2.

Full list of Hummingbird favorite vines for the previous post
⤴️

Antigonon leptopus - Mexican Coral Vine 📸
Aristolochia - Dutchman's Pipe
Bignonia capreolata - Crossvine 📸
Camptosema - Dwarf Red Jade Vine
Chonemorpha fragrans - Frangipani Vine
Clerodendrums - Bleeding Heart and others
Clitoria ternatea - Butterfly Pea
Combretum aubletii - Monkey Brush Vine
Dipladenia (Mandevilla)
Faradaya splendida - Glory Vine
Gmelina philippensis - Parrot's Beak
Hiptage benghalensis - Helicopter Flower
Ipomoea - Prince Kuhio Vine 📸
Lonicera - Honeysuckle 📸
Mansoa alliacea - Garlic Vine
Pandorea jasminoides - Pandora Vine
Passiflora - Passion Flower 📸
Petrea volubilis - Queen's Wreath
Pyrostegia venusta - Flame Vine 📸
Quisqualis indica - Rangoon Creeper
Senecio confusus - Mexican Flame Vine
Solandra - Butter Cup
Stephanotis floribunda - Bridal Bouquet
Tecomanthe dendrophylla - New Guinea Creeper vine
Tecomaria capensis - Cape Honeysuckle 📸
Thunbergia - Sky Vine, Clock Vine 📸
Turn Your Garden Into a Hummingbird Paradise!

#Hedges_with_benefits #Butterfly_Plants #How_to

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