Common Name: Cardinal Spear

General Information

Erythrina herbacea is very variable in habit according to the environment in which it grows. A tree in the warm southerly parts of its range, it becomes shrubby or even herbaceous towards the limits of its cooler northerly range[].
The plant is gathered from the wild for local use for food, medicine and beads. It is said to be cultivated for medicinal use in Cuba[].

Known Hazards

All parts of the plant, but especially the seeds, contain numerous toxic alkaloids, including erysodine and erysopine, and cyanogenic glycosides. They can cause diarrhoea and vomiting[]. The alkaloids have an action similar to the poison curare (Strychnos species) and have been used as a rat poison[, ]. In sufficient quantities, the seeds can cause human death.
The young leaves and flowers are said to be safe to eat if they are cooked previously[].

Botanical References

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Range

South-eastern N. America - North Carolina to Florida and Texas.

Habitat

Sandy soils in hummocks, the coastal plain and pinelands[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Shrub
Height	3.00 m
Pollinators	Birds, Insects
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Requires a moderately fertile well-drained soil in a very sunny position[].
Plants take 3 - 4 years to flower from seed[].
All species in this genus are believed to be self-compatible. Their flowers are adapted to pollination by birds, though various insects can also cause fertilization. The various species of Erythrina can all, as far as is known, be intercrossed to produce fertile hybrids. Those species most closely related to each other cross fairly readily, but even species that are quite distant can hybridize[, ].
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[].

Edible Uses

Flowers - cooked. An acceptable vegetable when boiled[]. Some caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity.

Young leaves - occasionally cooked and eaten[].

Medicinal

The plant is narcotic and purgative[].

The root is diaphoretic[], and is used to lower fevers[]. A cold infusion of the root has been used to treat bowel pain in women[].
A decoction of the roots or berries has been used to treat nausea, constipation and blocked urination[].

A decoction of the 'beans' or inner bark has been used as a body rub and steam for numb, painful limbs and joints[].

A decoction of the leaves has been used as a general tonic[].

Agroforestry Uses:

Most Erythrina species are very easy to grow from cuttings, with even quite large branches striking well. In addition, they generally fix atmospheric nitrogen, have nutrient-rich leaves that make an excellent soil-enriching mulch, often have open crowns that do not overly restrict light, and are also often quite thorny and can provide impenetrable barriers to protect from unwelcome intrusions. Many species are therefore used as living fences to provide boundaries and livestock-proof hedges[, ].

Other Uses

The brilliant red seeds are used as beads[, ].

Propagation

Fresh seeds, and those harvested within 3 - 6 months of maturity, can be sown without any special treatment. Germination rates are generally high and are often 100%. Seeds over 6 months old may take between 12 - 18 months to germinate due to their hard seed coat which becomes tougher with age. Soaking them in hot water, or abrading their seedcoat, can reduce this time considerably. They may be added to water which has just fallen below boiling point and left in the water as it cools for a minimum of one hour, but up to 12 hours for seed 3 years or more old, and then sown in the usual way. Alternatively, file the seeds with a slender triangular file. A groove can be made through the sides of the seed coat with care so as to avoid damaging the cotyledons or embryo, which usually results in the death of the seeds from fungal attack or in malformed and weakened seedlings[].
Seeds of most species produce strong seedlings from healthy seeds in almost any well-drained soil, with a minimum of trouble from damping-off disease[].
Cuttings of half-ripe wood.
Heeled cuttings of young growth.

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