Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus. Common name: Coral Bean, Cardinal-spear, Colorín, Mamou, Red Cardinal, Cherokee Bean. Phenology: May-Jul; Jul-Sep. Habitat: Maritime forests, dry sandy woodlands, hammocks, longleaf pine sandhills, sandy coastal scrub (TX). Distribution: Se. NC south to FL, west to se. and s. TX (Cameron County).
ID notes: The stems with inflorescences are typically borne separately from vegetative stems, often developing before or with leaf-out.
Origin/Endemic status: Endemic
Taxonomy Comments: Populations in e. Mexico (TAM, SLP) previously ascribed to this species have been described as a separate species, E. sierra Nesom (Nesom 2016e).
Synonymy ⓘ: = FNA11.1, K4, POWO, Nesom (2016e); > Erythrina arborea (Chapm.) Small — S, S13; < Erythrina herbacea L. — Ar, Fl3, NcTx, NS, RAB, SE3, Tx, WH3, Isely (1998); >< Erythrina herbacea L. — S, S13; Erythrina herbacea L. Basionym: Erythrina herbacea L. 1753
Links to other floras: = Erythrina herbacea - FNA11.1
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Heliophily ⓘ: 7
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Horticultural Information
Intro: Shrublike herbaceous perennial found in maritime forests, dry sandy woodlands and sandhills in the outer Coastal Plain
Stems: Stems multiple, arising from a bulbous, woody base; thorny.
Leaves: Leaves alternate, long-petioled, divided into 3 triangular leaflets, each leaflet to 4 in. long and 3-lobed; there are curved prickles beneath and on petiole.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Flowers in a 12-in.-long spike at the top of a leafless stalk, blooming from the bottom upward; red; 1 1/2-2 1/2 in. long; tubular and curved upward.
Fruits: Fruit an elongated pod constricted between the scarlet seeds inside.
Comments: All parts of the plant, especially seeds, are toxic.
Height: to 5 ft.
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description: Shrublike herbaceous perennial found in maritime forests, dry sandy woodlands and sandhills in the outer Coastal Plain
stems: Stems multiple, arising from a bulbous, woody base; thorny.
leaves: Leaves alternate, long-petioled, divided into 3 triangular leaflets, each leaflet to 4 in. long and 3-lobed; there are curved prickles beneath and on petiole.
inflorescence:
flowers: Flowers in a 12-in.-long spike at the top of a leafless stalk, blooming from the bottom upward; red; 1 1/2-2 1/2 in. long; tubular and curved upward.
fruits: Fruit an elongated pod constricted between the scarlet seeds inside.
comments: All parts of the plant, especially seeds, are toxic.
cultural notes:
germination code:
native range: southeastern U.S. to Central America
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