Erythrina lysistemon

Apr 3, 2022 | Articles, Bee Friendly, Bird Friendly, Butterfly & Moth Friendly, Cold Hardy, Deciduous, Drought hardy, Full Sun, Medium sized tree, Medium to large tree, More Sun than Shade, Thorny Plants, Water in summer, Water-wise

Erythrina lysistemon is a medium to large tree with very showy red flowers in spring.

Erythrina lysistemon (Common Coral-tree, Gewone Koraalboom) grows into a medium sized tree with a well-rounded crown. Known for its amazing display of bright red flowers in winter or early spring before the new leaves appear.

This Coral-tree is drought hardy, fast growing and relatively cold resistant. The flowers are rich in nectar and attract many nectar feeding birds and insects.

A good specimen tree for large gardens, pavements and parks.

Family:                                  FABACEAE        (Legume family)

Sub-Family:                         FABOIDEAE       (Sweet-pea sub-family)

 

Name Derivation:

  • Erythrina  – from the Greek ‘erythros’ meaning red, and refers to the bright red flowers.
  • lysistemon – ‘with one free stamen’, as one stamen is free, the others are joined to each other.

Common Names:  

Common Coral-tree (ZA) sacred coral-tree (Zim) (Eng), koraalboom (Afr), mokhupye (Nso), umsinsi (Swa), nsisimbana (Tso) mophêthê (Tsw) muvhale  (Ven), umsintsi (Xho) and umsinsi (Zul)

SAF Number:                    245                   Zim Number:  318                                                     

 

Features of Erythrina lysistemon

Form:

      A medium to large sized, deciduous tree with a rounded crown.

Size:             5 – 8 m (10) by 6 – 8 m.

Stem and Bark:

  • Single or multi-stemmed, upright with rounded crown.
  • Bark is pale grey-brown to dark grey.
  • Bark quite smooth but often scattered with hooked prickles.

Thorns:   Hooked prickles.

Erythrina lysistemon bark is pale to dark grey with hooked prickles

Erythrina lysistemon bark is pale to dark grey with hooked prickles.

Erythrina lysistemon leaves are trifoliate compound (made up of three leaflets) and dark green.

The leaves are trifoliate compound (made up of three leaflets) and dark green.

Foliage:

  • Deciduous.
  • The leaves are trifoliate compound (made up of three leaflets) and dark green.
  • The leaflets are almost heart-shaped (5 – 13 by 4 – 13 cm).
  • The apex leaflet is larger than the other two leaflets.
  • The new leaves are a bright, light green and darken with age.

Flowers:

  • Horizontal spikes of bright red, elongated flowers.
  • Flowers are borne in tight clusters.
  • Very showy when in flower, especially as the tree usually flowers before the new leaves appear.
  • Flowers are rich in nectar.

Colour:           Bright red..     

Flowering Months:         Jun – Oct.

The bright and showy flowers make Erythrina latisima one of southern Africa's favorite trees.

The bright and showy flowers make Common Coral tree one of southern Africa’s favorite trees.

The pods of Erythrina lysistemon split open while still on the tree to expose the shiny red seeds.

The pods of Erythrina lysistemon split open while still on the tree to expose the shiny red seeds.

Fragrance:       Not scented.

Fruit:

  • A long, narrow, sickle-shaped pod, up to 20 cm long by 1 cm wide.
  • The pods hang in clusters and are constricted between seeds.
  • The pods turn black and split open on the tree to reveal the shiny red seeds.
  • Pods may be found Sep – Mar.

Growing Erythrina lystistemon

An Erythrina lysistemon is a very showy feature tree.

An Erythrina lysistemon strategically planted next to a staircase to great effect at a school in Randburg.

The bright red flowers of a Common Coraltree contrasting against the dark windows of an office block in Rivonia.

The bright red flowers of a Common Coral-tree contrasting against the dark windows of an office block in Rivonia.

In the Garden:

  • Erythrina lysistemon has a neat shape and makes a stunning feature tree in a medium to large garden, pavement or park.
  • When in flower it is one of the most spectacular of all trees.
  • Planted with Dombeya rotundifolia (Wildpear, Drolpeer), that has white flowers in spring, they will create a lovely contrast when in flower together.
  • A very good ‘wildlife tree’, attracting a variety of animals, birds and insects.
  • Fast growing, up to 1.5 m per year.
  • Fairly frost hardy, the flowers may frost in black frosts.
  • Water-wise and very drought hardy.
  • Do not plant near foundations, pools, drains or paving as the roots are aggressive.

Soil Needs:        Will grow in most soil types.    

 Care:

  • A low maintenance plant.
  • Feed with organic fertilizer and mulch with compost.
  • Protect young plants against the cold in winter.
  • Leaves are prone to attack by psyllids, causing bumps on the leaves. Although unsightly, these do not hurt the tree. You can spray with an organic insecticide like Vegol or Neudosan.

Cold Hardiness:

  • Semi-hardy.
  • Protect young plants for 2 or 3 years.

Water Requirements:

  • Requires little water.
  • A water-wise plant.

Light Requirements:

  • More sun than shade.

Space Requirements: 

  • Plant at least 4 to 5 m apart.

Roots:          The roots are aggressive.                     

 

The masses of Erythrina lysistemon flowers are bright and very dramatic.

The masses of Erythrina lysistemon flowers are bright and very dramatic.

Ecology of Erythrina lysistemon

 

Amethyst Sunbirds and all other nectarivorous birds readily feed on Coraltree flowers.

Amethyst Sunbirds and all other nectarivorous birds readily feed from Coraltree flowers.

Birds:

  • Sunbirds and other nectar-feeders will visit the flowers in numbers.
  • Insectivorous birds will come to the tree for larvae that feed on these trees.
  • Flowers and buds are eaten by Grey Go-away birds.
  • Unripe seeds are eaten by Grey-headed, Brown-headed and Cape Parrots.
  • Woodpeckers and barbets favour excavating nests in the soft wood of these trees.
  • Will provide birds with shelter and nesting sites.

Bees:

  • The nectar rich flowers attract bees, and other insects.

Butterflies:

  • Adult butterflies feed from the flowers.
  • May be host to larva of up to 11 moth species.

Medicinal:

  • This plant is used in traditional medicine to treat toothache, earache, inflammation, rheumatism, and arthritis.

Poisonous:         Seeds are poisonous, but not considered a danger to humans as typically pass through the digestive tract too quickly for poison to be absorbed.

Notes of interest:

  • The greyish wood is soft, light and spongy.
  • Trees are believed to be sacred and are traditionally planted on graves.
  • The seeds are kept as luck charms and often used as beads in necklaces.
  • Branches used as fence posts or to protect cattle kraals often root and grow.

 Natural Distribution:

  • Found in the EC, KZN, Esw, southern Moz, M, L, G, NWP, southern Bot, eastern Zim,
  • To the north of southern Africa, the range extends into Tanzania.

Natural Habitat:

  • Grasslands, savanna-bushveld, savanna-lowveld and savanna-woodlands.
  • Grows on mountain sides, in open bushveld, dry woodlands, scrub-forest and grasslands.
Erythrina lysitemon will flower in shade, but not as prolifically as in sun.

Erythrina lysitemon will flower in shade, but not as prolifically as in sun.

A very large Common Coral tree flowering above the surrounding trees in habitat is southern KZN.

A very large Common Coral-tree flowering above the surrounding trees in habitat is southern KZN.

Links to other species of the Erythrina (Coral-tree) genus.

To go to a ‘plant blog’ click on the picture or plant name below the picture.

A flowering Erythrina humeana contrasted with the blue leaves of a cycad.

Erythrina humeana

References:

Boon, Richard  “Pooley’s Trees of Eastern South Africa, a Complete Guide”  2nd ed. 2010  Flora & Fauna Publications  Durban.

Coates Palgrave, K C, edited Coates Palgrave, M C  “Trees of Southern Africa”  2002  Struik Publishers  Cape Town

Heydenrych, Reuben “A field guide to Magaliesberg Trees” 2018 BK Publishing (Pty) Ltd. 2018

 Honig, Marjke  “Indigenous Plant Palettes”  2014  Quivertree Publications  Pretoria

Joffe, Pitta & Oberholzer, Tinus  “Creative Gardening with Indigenous Plants, A South African Guide” 2nd ed. 2012  Briza Publications  Pretoria

Johnson, David & Sally & Nichols, Geoff  “Gardening with Indigenous Shrubs” 2002, Struik Publishers  Cape Town

Kroon, D M  “Lepidoptera of Southern Africa Host Plants & other Associations, a catalogue”  1999. Lepidopterists Society of South Africa, Sasolburg.

Mbambezeli, Giles & Notten, Alice “Erythrina lysistemon” 2002 PlantZAfrica Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens (Referenced 03 April 2022)

Link: http://pza.sanbi.org/erythrina-lysistemon

Palmer, E & Pitman, N  “Trees of Southern Africa Volume 3”  1973  A A Balkema  Cape Town

Schmidt, E, Lotter M  Cleland W  “Trees and Shrubs of Mpumalanga and Kruger National Park  2002  Jacana  Johannesburg

Van Wyk, A, van den Berg, E, Coates Palgrave, M & Jordaan, M  Dictionary of names for southern African trees”  2011..Briza Publications  Pretoria

Wikipedia  “Erythrina lysistemon”   (Referenced 03 April 2022)

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erythrina_lysistemon

Woodhall, Steve  “Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa”  2nd ed 2020  Struik Nature

 

© Malcolm Dee Hepplewhite & Witkoppen Wildflower Nursery, (Text and Photographs) 2012 & 2022.