Erythrina x bidwillii

[M Farooq]

Botanical Name	Erythrina
Family	Fabaceae
Genus
Specie	Many similar species are available in Pakistan
Local Name in Urdu	Not available
Common Name	Coral bean tree
Life Cycle	All leaves fall in the autumn and bare tree remains
Cultivar Name	Not available
Category(Bush/Vine/Tree)	Tree
Height	> 10 feet
Spacing	Grow accordingly for a tree
Flowering Months	Spring
Flower Color	Deep red
Growing Areas	Tropical
Frost Tender	Yes
Exposure	Full sunlight to semi shade may be tolerable
Soil pH	Highly tolerant
Propagation	Air layering, seeds
Uses	Ornamental, medicinal
Other Details	Erythrina is among the beautiful trees in Pakistani gardens. It can become a huge tree but new smaller varieties are also available. In autumn, all leaves fall and the bare stems remain. This is followed by a shower of deep red flowers. The tree bears long pods containing plenty of seeds. Unfortunately, the wood of this tree is "weak" so plant it away from places where high winds or rains can damage anything. It is a pest free and maintenance free tree if you have lots of space in your garden. Flowers are not fragrant. Some species especially Erythrina indica bears small thorns (top picture). The plant in the bottom picture is most likely Erythrina x bidwillii, which can also flower in a pot