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Coral-bean

Erythrina herbacea

Found in maritime forests, dry sandy woodlands, hammocks, longleaf pine sandhills, sandy coastal scrub (TX). Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Florida edition What its natural habitat tells you

40
Good

Native to Florida. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 100%

Height
6–12 feet
Spread
3–6 feet
Light
Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture
Dry to moist

Space about 4.5 ft apart from its recorded spread, about 5 per 100 sq ft. Enter your bed size for a count

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At a glance

Life cycle
Woody perennial
Leaves
Deciduous
Bloom
May to July
Fruiting season
July to September

Recorded in 64 Florida counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 3

Maritime forests and thickets

Salt-pruned forests and shrub thickets behind coastal dunes.

Sandhills

Dry, deep-sand ridges with longleaf pine and turkey oak, kept open by fire.

Coastal Plain hammocks

Dense, evergreen groves of live oak, magnolia and other hardwoods in the southern Coastal Plain, from dry oak domes to wet hydric hammocks and south Florida's tropical hammocks; salt-shaped maritime hammocks are maritime forests.

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Florida. Shared habitat, not food. 79 animals.

All wildlife of Florida

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

9CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including FL

Genus host records with ranges including FL · Erythrina

  • Agathodes monstralisSky-Pointing Moth
  • Celastrina neglectaSummer Azure
  • Condylorrhiza vestigialisThe Alamo Moth
  • Cryptothelea gloveriiOrange Bagworm
  • Epargyreus clarusSilver-Spotted Skipper
  • Terastia meticulosalisErythrina Borer Moth
  • Urbanus proteusLong-Tailed Skipper, Bean Leaf Roller
  • Epicorsia oedipodalis
  • Leucoptera erythrinella
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
0BeesSoutheastern regional records
0Specialist beesPollen specialists
—BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Fabaceae
Hardiness
Zones 6a–9b
Soil pH
Acidic
Flower color
Red
Fruit begins
July
Fruit ends
September

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope
Also known as

Coral bean

Conservation status

Florida rankS5
Global rankG5
FL statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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Sources