Sausage tree
Product Description
An icon of the African landscape, this tree's striking fruits grow up to 90cm and can weigh up to 12kg.
The Millennium Seed Bank has partnered with seed banks in Africa to store sausage tree seeds, while also collaborating with local farmers to grow and sell seedlings, ensuring the preservation and prosperity of this revered and useful tree.
The sausage tree is sacred to many African communities. Some consider the tree a symbol of fertility, use its pods as religious charms, or hang the fruits indoors to ward off bad weather. It also has significant medicinal uses. With a broad, dense canopy, it makes for excellent shade in the open savannah or along urban streets, where it’s often planted. And while its large blood-red flowers give off a distinctive pong, it doesn’t stop a host of wildlife from feasting. Antelopes, baboons and elephants all enjoy different parts of this tree. The flowers open at night when bats feed and pollinate it.
Kew has worked with partners to bank sausage tree seeds in the Millennium Seed Bank at Wakehurst, as well as partner seed banks across Africa. Kew experts have also worked with local farmers in Kenya, Botswana and Mali to grow and sell seedlings, helping ensure that this sacred and useful tree continues to thrive.
By adopting a seed, you are making a £25 donation to directly support the work of Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank.
How to adopt a seed
Choose a seed and complete the form with your name and email address. If you're adopting a seed as a gift, add the recipient's name and email address, as well as your message. You'll be able to download a Certificate of Adoption then, and we'll also email a copy to the email address you provided.
To make multiple adoptions of the same seed, please add the seeds to your basket one by one (filling in the name and email address details separately for each certificate).
If you have any questions about Adopt a seed or your certificate, please email us at donate@kew.org.
Reviews
Sustainable
Delivery and Returns
United Kingdom
We offer FREE delivery on UK-only orders over £60 (Tracked Standard delivery service). (This does not apply to our print-on-demand service)
Our other delivery costs are as follows:
- UK Tracked Standard - £5 (delivery 3-6 working days from date of order)
- UK Tracked Express - £8.95 (delivery 1-3 working days from date of order)
Note: Mat Collishaw framed prints can take up to 2 weeks for delivery and are excluded from promotional discounts.
Age restricted products
If your basket contains age restricted products, our courier will request passport or driving license ID if the recipient looks under 25.
Gift membership products
Gift Membership packs are sent using a tracked and signed for service. Unfortunately, we are unable to replace gift memberships that are lost or misplaced once received by the recipient.
International and EU
International and EU orders are subject to variable postage costs calculated at checkout; these are dependent on the size and value of your order.
Orders to EU and International addresses may be subject to local customs duty or taxes. You will need to pay any additional charges for customs clearance, charges include local VAT and duty based on the value and origin of the product upon receipt of your order.
Weight restrictions: We are unable to ship orders where the total weight is over 2kg outside of the United Kingdom.
Product restrictions: We are unable to ship seeds, plants, bulbs, inflammable products, sharp and/or bladed items, food and beverages outside of the United Kingdom.
