Coral Bean (Erythrina herbacea)

Also known as: Cherokee bean, Mamou

Quick Facts

• Type: shrub
• Size: 2-4 ft tall (dies back)
• Sun: full
• Water: low
• Soil: Well-drained sand; drought tolerant
• USDA zones: 8-11

Torch-red flower spikes that hummingbirds cannot resist, on a die-back perennial shrub.

Freezes to the ground up north and returns every spring; the shiny red seeds are poisonous – admire, don't eat.

In the Landscape

A bold accent for hot, sunny, well-drained spots, butterfly gardens, and naturalized areas. Its thorny stems and dense foliage also make it a good protective thicket plant.

Care & Propagation

Plant in spring after frost danger in full sun in sandy, well-drained soil. It dies back to the ground in freezes and returns each spring, so simply cut away dead stems in early spring. Once established it needs almost no water or fertilizer.

Propagate from seed in spring after scarifying the hard seed coat (nick it or rub with sandpaper), or from semi-hardwood cuttings. Wear gloves when handling the seeds, which are poisonous.

Wildlife Value

The torch-red flower spikes bloom before the leaves appear and are a magnet for hummingbirds and long-tongued pollinators. The thorny, dense stems give small birds and animals safe refuge and nesting sites.

🌱 Fun fact: The shiny red seeds have reportedly been used as rat poison in Mexico. They are beautiful but genuinely toxic, so this is strictly a look-but-don't-touch plant.

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🌴 In Florida

Freezes to the ground up north and returns every spring; the shiny red seeds are poisonous – admire, don't eat.

🌿 Keep exploring

More Florida natives worth meeting:

• Adam's Needle (Yucca filamentosa)
• Allegheny chinquapin (Castanea pumila)
• American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana)