FNPS Plant Database

Erythrina herbacea

coralbean, Cherokee bean
  • Photo by: Mark Hutchinson, Hernando Chapter, FNPS
  • Photo by: Mark Hutchinson, Hernando Chapter, FNPS
  • Photo by: John Bradford, Martin County Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: John Bradford, Martin County Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: John Lampkin, Nature Coast FNPS
  • Photo by: Marjorie Shropshire, Martin County Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: Ginny Stibolt, Ixia Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: Ginny Stibolt, Ixia Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: Louise Raterman, Suncoast Chapter
  • Photo by: Louise Raterman, Suncoast Chapter

Nomenclature

Common Name:

coralbean, Cherokee bean

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Erythrina herbacea

Family:

Fabaceae (Leguminosae)

Plant Specifics

Form:

Shrub

Size:

3–20 ft tall by 2–10 ft wide

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

pink, red

Fruit Color:

red, brown

Phenology:

Deciduous, semi-evergreen in South Florida. Blooms in spring. Fruits remain on the plant through winter

Noted For:

Showy Flowers, Showy Fruits, Thorns

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Forming a thicket for wildlife protection.

Considerations:

It has thorns, but they are rather small. The seeds of Cherokee bean are poisonous and purportedly used for rat poison in Mexico.

Availability:

Native Nurseries, FNPS Plant Sales, Seed

Propagation:

Scratching the seeds, or rubbing them with a slight abrasive, prior to planting in the spring is recommended--wear gloves to avoid the poison from these seeds. Semi-hardwood cuttings can be rooted.

Light:

Full Sun, Part Sun, Shade

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded---------------------------------Extremely Dry

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Usually moist, occasional inundation -to- Very long very dry periods

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

High. Can tolerate significant and ongoing amounts of salt

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand, Loam

Soil pH:

5.4–7.6

Suitable to Grow In:

8A,8B,9A,9B,10A,10B,11

USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.

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Vouchered In:

Distribution
Vouchered
Not vouchered
Selected
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No county distribution is available for this plant yet.
Starting…
Map coded by Melissa Fernandez-de Cespedes (Paynes Prairie Chapter)

Ecology

Wildlife:

Butterflies, Hummingbirds, Birds, Mammals

Attracts long-tongued pollinators.

Attracts hummingbirds. Due to its dense foliage and thorny stems, coral bean serves as a refuge for small birds and animals.

Native Habitats:

Dry sites. Upland mixed forest, thickets, tropical hammocks, coastal dunes, sandhill, flatwoods, tropical hammock, pine rocklands. This species can be seen in the picnic area at Alderman Ford County Park in Hillsborough County

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

The women of the Creek tribe used cold infusion of the root for bowel pain. The Mikasuki Seminole used decoction of roots or berries used for horse sickness: nausea, constipation and blocked urination.

General Comments:

FNPS Plant Print

Citations:

Haehle, Robert G. and Joan Brookwell. (1999). Native Florida Plants. Gulf Publishing Company. Houston, TX.


Nelson, Gil. (2003). Florida's Best Landscape Plants: 200 Readily Available Species for Homeowners and Professionals. University Press of Florida, Gainesville.


Osorio, Rufino. (2001). A Gardener's Guide to Florida's Native Plants. University Press of Florida, Gainesville.


Watkins, John and Thomas Sheehan. (1975). Florida Landscape Plants, Native and Exotic. University Presses of Florida, Gainesville.


Wunderlin, R. P, B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. (1999+). Atlas of Florida Plants. ( https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/ ). [S. M. Landry and K. N. Campbell (application development), USF Water Institute.] Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.

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