Common coral bean
Erythrina corallodendron

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A tree. It grows 9 m high. The leaves have leaflets along the stalk. There are 3 broad leaflets. The flowers are bright red and in clusters at the ends of the branches. They appear both before and after the leaves. The fruit are long curved pods.

The seeds and pods contain a narcotic alkaloid.

Where it is found

A tropical plant.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Barbados, Bermuda, Caribbean, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Hispaniola, India, Indochina, Jamaica, Kenya, Leeward Is., Malaysia, Martinique, Puerto Rico, Reunion, SE Asia, St Lucia, St. Vincent and Grenadines, Trinidad-Tobago, Vietnam, West Indies, Winward Is.

How it is used for food

The young flowers and leaves are eaten cooked.

Edible parts

Flowers, leaves, caution

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Ambola, Bucare peonia, Chocho, Colorin, Vong san-ho

Synonyms

Corallodendron occidentale (L.) Kuntze; Erythrina corallifera Salisb.; Erythrina corallodendron var. occidentalis L.; Erythrina corallodendrum L.; Erythrina inermis Mill.; Erythrina spinosa Mill.; and others