The Department of Recreation PLEASE PROTECT ME and Parks maintains and pro- AFRICAN tects hundreds of heritage trees. I am a very rare specimen tree in Heritage trees are individual SAUSAGE your area. Even though I may trees of any size or species that look indestructible, I am a very TREE are specifically designated as fragile tree. In order to ensure heritage because of their histori- my survival, please protect me by HERITAGE TREE cal, commemorative, or horti- following these suggestions: cultural significance. Preserving 1. Do not injure my trunk with these treasures is important for any object or graffiti. future generations to admire. 2. Keep the lawn away from my For further information, please trunk. contact the Department of Rec- reation and Parks at the address below. CITY OF LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF RECREATION AND PARKS General Manager 3. Keep all machines and weed Manuel A. Mollinedo whips away. Forestry Division 3900 W. Chevy Chase Drive Green Meadows 4. Do not pull or hang from my Los Angeles, CA 90039 Recreation Center 431 E. 89th St branches “Ouch!! It Hurts”. Los Angeles, CA 90003 Phone: 213-485-4826 5. Do not over water me. Fax: 213-847-0820 Website: www.laparks.org Tel: (323) 750-4820 FLOWER FRUIT African Sausage You may consider my flower as being a little bit One of my most interesting features is my fruit. strange and unusual. My flowers are very large and My fruit can be from 1 to 2 feet in length and it have the shape of a trumpet. They are brownish–red in Tree can weigh several pounds. At maturity, my fruit coloration and they hang down from a long raceme. I acquires a brownish color and you will see it Kigelia africana hanging from a woody stalk. To many people my fruit resembles a huge sausage and that is the Hello!!! Let me reason why I was given the name of “THE SAU- introduce myself... SAGE TREE”. Botanists call me Kigelia africana, but you can refer to me as the African sausage tree. You may have over- looked my presence in the past but I am here to inform you Leaves normally open my flowers at night because that is the of what a unique, time when my natural pollinator are active. In the interesting, and fascinating tree I am. I am na- tropical jungles of Africa, my flowers are pollinated by tive to the old con- bats. Although my fruit may look succulent and deli- tinent from Tropi- cious, please do not eat it. Eating the fruit may cal Africa to give you a tummy Madagascar. Due ache. Even though to the curiosity of my fruit is not edible, my flowers and my there is a group of fruit, explorers people back in Africa transported me to The bats visit my flow- called the KIKUYU different parts of ers to drink the sweet who make a beverage the world. I am the Trunk nectar that I make for by mixing the fruit only tree of my them. The wrinkles in with honey. Other kind that is planted in this area; that is the reason my flowers are used as groups of people also why I need to be protected. I was planted sev- a grip by the bats to use my fruit as a eral years ago to provide beauty to your Park. prevent them from slip- herbal medicine. Please feel free to come over and visit me any- ping from the flowers When you see my fruit, please do not cut it. I time. Inform your family and friends of my while they are drinking. want every visitor of the park to observe and presence so that they can also admire my splen- admire my fruit. dor and beauty. .