# Eastern Coral Bean (*Erythrina herbacea*) The Eastern Coral Bean is a colorful shrub with bright red flowers that attract hummingbirds. Its unique seed pods look like little beans and can be fun to spot in gardens and parks. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 9 - **Habitat:** Urban areas - **Also known as:** Coral Bean ![Eastern Coral Bean](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Cherokee_Bean_%28Erythrina_herbacea%29_%2825203076648%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: gailhampshire from Cradley, Malvern, U.K, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cherokee_Bean_%28Erythrina_herbacea%29_%2825203076648%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Eastern Coral Bean has striking, fiery red, tubular flowers clustered on tall spikes. Its leaves are typically three-lobed, and it produces dark brown seed pods containing bright, glossy scarlet seeds that are very eye-catching. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Fabales - **Family:** Fabaceae - **Genus:** Erythrina ## Interesting facts - Even if frozen to the ground, this tough plant can sprout back from its deep roots! - Its vibrant red seeds were once used by Native Americans to make colorful necklaces! - The beautiful, shiny red seeds are so hard, they can survive for many decades! - The name 'Erythrina' comes from a Greek word meaning 'red,' describing its fiery blooms! ## Special abilities - **Hummingbird Beacon:** Eastern Coral Bean has vibrant red flowers that act like a beacon, attracting hummingbirds to help with pollination. - **Resilient Roots:** Eastern Coral Bean can die back to the ground in winter or after fire, but regrows from its tough underground taproot. - **Toxic Treasure:** Eastern Coral Bean has seeds containing powerful alkaloids that protect them from being eaten by many animals. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 100-300 cm - **Spread:** 100-200 cm - **Flower Size:** 3-5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late winter to spring, sometimes summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** High - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Bird ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** [Ruby-throated Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/ruby-throated-hummingbird) (*Archilochus colubris*) — visits for nectar, helping seed production - **Pollinates:** Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar and pollen from flowers - **Eaten by:** Erythrina Borer Moth (*Terastia meticulosalis*) — larvae bore into stems and pods of the plant ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Nitrogen Fixing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nitrogen-fixing): Describes organisms capable of converting atmospheric nitrogen into compounds usable by plants. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low While the plant is beautiful, it's best to look and not touch, as some parts can be harmful if eaten. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Eastern Coral Bean? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Eastern Coral Bean? 100-300 cm ### How wide does Eastern Coral Bean spread? 100-200 cm ### How big are the flowers on Eastern Coral Bean? 3-5 cm ### When does Eastern Coral Bean bloom? Late winter to spring, sometimes summer ### Is Eastern Coral Bean edible? No ### Is Eastern Coral Bean toxic? High ### What is Eastern Coral Bean's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Congress Avenue Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/congress-avenue-historic-district) — Texas, US · Historic District - [Fort Brown](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fort-brown) — US · Historic Site - [Locust Grove State Historic Site](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/locust-grove-state-historic-site) — Louisiana, US · Nature Reserve - [Cedar Key Scrub State Reserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cedar-key-scrub-state-reserve) — Florida, US · State Park - [Cockroach Bay Aquatic Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cockroach-bay-aquatic-preserve) — US · Nature Reserve - [Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area at Flagler Beach](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/gamble-rogers-memorial-state-recreation-area-at-flagler-beach) — Florida, US · State Park [View all places to see Eastern Coral Bean](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/eastern-coral-bean) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Eastern Coral Bean: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-coral-bean)