Native Plants
Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.
Erythrina flabelliformis
Erythrina flabelliformis Kearney
Coralbean, Coral-bean, Indian Bean, Chilicote
Fabaceae (Pea Family)
Synonym(s):
USDA Symbol: erfl7
USDA Native Status: L48 (N)
A shrub or small tree, leafless much of the year, with prickly stems and leafstalks, and long, bright red flowers in racemes near ends of the branches. Coral-bean is a shrub that can grow to 15 ft. with a trunk diameter of up to10 in.; it is usually, however, much smaller. Much of the year the leafless brown stems are scarcely noticeable. In warm months of spring and early summer, clusters of red, tubular flowers sprout from the stem tips. The plants are most conspicuous in fall when their fan-shaped leaflets have turned golden and the brown pods open to reveal dark-orange seeds.
This plant, though handsome in flower, is leafless and unattractive most of the year.
From the Image Gallery
No images of this plant
Plant Characteristics
Duration: PerennialHabit: Shrub
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Fruit Type: Legume
Size Notes: Up to about 15 feet tall.
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: RedBloom Time: Mar , Apr , May , Jun , Aug , Sep
Bloom Notes: Main flowering season is spring and early summer. May rebloom in late summer to early fall with heavy rains.
Distribution
USA: AZ , NMNative Distribution: S.w. NM, s. AZ & n. Mex.
Native Habitat: Dry, rocky slopes & washes
Growing Conditions
Light Requirement: SunSoil Moisture: Dry
Soil Description: Dry, rocky soils
Conditions Comments: Sensitive to frost.
Web Reference
Webref 75 - Southwest Desert Flora (2020) Southwest Desert FloraWebref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter
Additional resources
USDA: Find Erythrina flabelliformis in USDA PlantsFNA: Find Erythrina flabelliformis in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Erythrina flabelliformis
Metadata
Record Modified: 2023-06-06Research By: TWC Staff