Kigelia africana (Sausage Tree)

Native to Africa, this spreading tree commonly reaches about 80 feet tall. Its deep red to purple flowers open in the evening, have an unpleasant scent, and attract nectar-feeding bats and hawkmoths. The large, woody, sausage-shaped fruits hang from the branches and can remain on the tree for a year. Their pulp is toxic and unsuitable for eating. In Africa, elephants and rhinoceroses eat the fruits and disperse the seeds. The wood is used for furniture and dugout canoes. It is also planted as an ornamental shade tree. Photographed in Barranquilla, Colombia.