Nature Handbook — Money might not grow on trees, but sausage does!
Russel Ray is one of my favorite bloggers in the ActiveRain network. Russel is a professional home inspector and avid photographer. Usually, he posts about home inspection issues. Here, he shares an adventure at the San Diego Zoo's Safari Park and tells us about sausage trees.
Life is good!
Read other pages in the Nature Handbook
Money might not grow on trees,
but sausage does!I was at the San Diego Zoo's Safari Park last week, casually walking along looking at the wildlife and taking pictures when I bumped into something and nearly knocked myself out. Here's the something:
That's what I knocked my head on, and it fell to the ground. It's the fruit from a sausage tree. There is only one species in the genus: Kigelia africana.
Personally, I think it looks more like a potato, and it is heavy like a potato. None of the sausage that I've ever eaten weighed as much as that big thing on the ground there. I've only seen one other sausage tree, and that was on the campus of San Diego State University several years ago.
It is native to Africa, which explains why it likes San Diego. It's our weather! My gardening books report that the fruit is used in herbal medicine in Africa and is believed to cure rheumatism, snakebites, evil spirits, syphilis, and tornadoes. I didn't even know they had tornadoes in Africa, much less that they could be "cured"! I'm forwarding this to the U.S. Weather Service.
Despite looking and sounding tempting to eat, the fresh fruit is poisonous, although when prepared properly by drying, roasting, or fermenting, it can be eaten.
Along with its unusual fruit, the tree has beautiful flowers:
According to Wikipedia, "planting sites should be selected carefully, as the falling fruit can cause serious injury to people, and damage vehicles parked under the trees." Ya think?
Next post will be:
If it works, it must be okay
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If you need a home inspection to make your day,
make sure it's one by Russel Ray!
Member since 2003 of
The world’s largest and best trade association for home inspectors!
All pictures are copyright
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