Scientific Name
Erythrina variegata L.
Common Name(s)
Indian Coral Tree, Tiger's Claw, Sunshine Tree, Lenten Tree
Synonym(s)
Erythrina alba, Erythrina indica, Erythrina lithosperma, Erythrina lobulata, Erythrina loueiri, Gelala alba
Scientific Classification
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Tribe: Phaseoleae
Genus: Erythrina
Flower
Color: Bright crimson
Bloom Time: Late winter or early spring
Description
Erythrina variegata is a thorny deciduous tree that grows up to 90 feet (27 m) tall. It has many stout branches armed with black tiger's claw spines. Leaves are compound, up to 8 inches (20 cm) long, with three diamond-shaped leaflets. Before the leaves come out in late winter or early spring, it puts on a spectacular show with bright crimson, up to 3 inches (7.5 cm) long flowers in dense terminal clusters. It may flower a little during the summer, too. The beanlike pods that follow the flowers are cylindrical and about 15 inches (37.5 cm) long.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zone 10a to 11b: from 30 °F (−1.1 °C) to 50 °F (+10 °C).
How to Grow and Care
Growing Coral Trees is only appropriate outdoors in USDA zones 9 and up. Coral Tree care is easy if you are in the correct region, but some growers may find them messy.
Coral Trees need very little water. Too much water actually promotes a weak limb structure and subsequent breakage. Overwatering causes the tree to grow too quickly, and its softwood cannot support such spurts. Then in the dry season, the weight of the tree can actually pull it out of the soil.
Pruning the tree in spring to remove the heavier stems or any damaged material will help prevent limb loss and trees from tipping. Fertilizer is also not recommended when growing Coral Trees.
Fertilizer also causes them to have aggressive growth that can cause problems later. Cover over the root zone with a good organic mulch, which will gradually leach a light dose of nutrients into the soil over time. See more at How to Grow and Care for Coral Trees.
Origin
Native to the tropical and subtropical regions of eastern Africa, the Indian Subcontinent, northern Australia, and the islands of the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean east to Fiji.
Links
- Back to genus Erythrina
- Plantpedia: Browse flowering plants by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, or Origin
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