Coral Tree (Erythrina × bidwillii) is a deciduous shrub or small tree that bridges two continents through purposeful breeding, combining the vigor of the southern United States native E. herbacea with the tropical charm of South America's E. crista-galli. It reaches 8 to 12 feet tall and 6 to 10 feet wide, crowned with triangle-shaped compound leaves and clusters of brilliant red, 2-inch flowers that bloom reliably from June through frost. Hardy in zones 8 to 10, it thrives in full sun with moderate water and minimal maintenance, drawing hummingbirds and other pollinators to the garden.
Full Sun
Moderate
8-10
144in H x 120in W
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High
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Coral Tree's most striking feature is its show-stopping red blooms that persist from early summer until the first hard freeze, creating months of reliable color when many shrubs have already faded. The plant's hybrid origin gives it unexpected toughness; it tolerates a wide range of soil conditions as long as drainage is decent, and it responds beautifully to pruning and training. In warmer zones it reaches full tree stature, but gardeners in zone 8 often enjoy it as a more compact, shrubby form that can even be rejuvenated after light frost damage.
Coral Tree functions as a striking focal point in the landscape, often grown as a shade tree or specimen shrub in warm-climate gardens. Its long season of vivid red flowers and its appeal to hummingbirds make it a natural choice for pollinator gardens where season-long color matters. The plant's responsiveness to training means it can be shaped to climb a trellis or pruned into a more manageable shrub form, offering flexibility depending on available space and design goals.
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Prune Coral Tree back in spring to control size and shape. The plant takes well to training and can be pruned to climb a trellis or shaped as a multistemmed shrub. In colder parts of its hardiness range (zone 8b), spring pruning also removes any branches damaged by winter frost, and the plant will reliably regrow from its root system.
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“Coral Tree exists because someone deliberately crossed two Erythrina species with very different geographies in mind. E. herbacea, a native of the southern United States, was paired with E. crista-galli from central South America to create a hybrid with improved vigor and ornamental appeal. This intentional breeding produced a plant that marries the hardiness of North American genetics with the floral drama of South American ancestry, resulting in a shrub that performs well across a broader range of climates than either parent alone.”