Erythrina herbacea

Common Names

Coral Bean, Cardinal Spear, Cherokee Bean, Red Cardinal

Summary

Coral bean, cardinal-spear, or Cherokee bean is a thorny shrub or small tree native to the southeastern United States, the Caribbean, and parts of Central America. It grows as a multi-stemmed plant about 5–10 ft tall, with glossy trifoliate leaves whose arrowhead-shaped leaflets are often prickly on the underside, and it bears upright spikes of bright red tubular flowers that attract hummingbirds; after flowering, legume pods form containing bright red seeds.

Best grown in full sun to partial shade in well-drained sandy to loamy soils, it is drought-tolerant once established and typically spaced about 3–4 ft apart. Hardy to USDA zones 7–10, propagation is by seeds (scarification or pre-soak) or cuttings; seeds are poisonous. Maintenance includes pruning after flowering to maintain shape and removing dead tops in winter. Uses include ornamental plantings in borders, hedges, or accents, and value for wildlife habitat and attracting pollinators, with moderate salt tolerance.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

6-12 ft

Spread

3-8 ft

Hardiness Zones

Zones 6-9, Zones 8-11

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun. Tolerates partial sun to partial shade.

Soil Type

Well-drained soil

Soil Drainage

Well-drained soil

Soil pH

5.4–7.6, Acidic to slightly alkaline soils

Bloom Color

Red

Bloom Time

Spring

Foliage Color

Green, yellowish-green

Fall Foliage Color

Yellowish-green

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Slow-growing

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Cuttings, Division

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees, hummingbirds, butterflies, other pollinators, birds