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Erythrina falcata (Evergreen Coral Tree) - This mostly evergreen large tree with dark-gray fissured bark grows erect to 35 to 50 feet tall and broadens with age to be equal or even slightly wider with rounded deep green leaflets 5 inches long by 2 1/2 inches wide held on stems that have thorns on new growth. Sometimes as early as late winter and continuing into summer, appear the 1 1/2-inch-long deep orange-red flowers scattered along 6- to 12-inch-long horizontal or drooping clusters on lateral buds from the previous summer's growth near the branch tips. The flowers have a broad banner that is folded over to hide the other petals and floral parts and is sickle-shaped in profile. Following the flowering sometimes produced leathery, dark-brown 5 inch long pea-like seed pods.
This tree prefers full sun and deep watering bit is quite drought tolerant once established and is hardy to 20 degrees F - our specimen tree on the property was undamaged in the short low temperatures below 20° F experienced in Christmas 1990 freeze. We consider this tree to be mostly evergreen, though infrequently it can be seen bare when in flower and often there will be leafless sections that allow the flowers to be better seen.
Erythrina falcata comes from sub-Andean Peru and Bolivia to nearly 6,000 feet in elevation and also down into the lowlands of central and southern Brazil, Paraguay and northern Argentina. The name for the genus is from the Greek word 'erythros' meaning "red". The specific epithet is the Latin word for a sickled-shaped sword.
This is the largest of the coral trees grown in California and has been in cultivation in coastal California since at least the 1930s. In Peter Riedel's (1873-1954) Plants for Extra-Tropical Regions: A catalog of the plants that are, have been, or might be grown where the orange and the avocado thrive, including brief mention of others every plantsman should know Riedel lists the introduction of this species by the Bureau of Plant Industry, a division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, with the number BPI 104114-1934, indicating it was first introduced in 1934, with a note that there was a specimen planted in Hillside Park (now called Orpet Park) in Santa Barbara "circa 1930". This species is not found in this park today, but many other fine specimens can be found in the Santa Barbara area. We have a very large specimen tree of this species in front of our nursery along Hollister Ave that was planted in 1984 and there are beautiful specimens in Alice Keck Park Memorial Garden in downtown Santa Barbara as well as several large trees on the UCSB campus and a nice specimen in the 500 block of State Street. We have offered this plant on and off since first listing it in our 1982 catalog, mostly because this species is generally too large for many landscapes, but also because it has been more difficult to vegetatively propagate than other Coral Trees, and seed grown plants do not bloom for many years. More recently we have had more success rooting cuttings of this magnificent species and were able to offer cutting grown plants in limited quantities.
Information displayed on this page about Erythrina falcata is based on our research conducted about this plant in our nursery library as well as from information provided by reliable online resources. We also include our own observations made about it as it has grown in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant performed in the containers in our nursery field. We will also include comments received from others and welcome hearing from anyone who has information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information aiding others to better grow it.
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